


Fractured Fortress

by Persephonyx7



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Reality, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Love Triangles, Other, Retelling, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-11-30 09:50:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 37,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11461089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persephonyx7/pseuds/Persephonyx7
Summary: Magic is dying in the Underground. For years the Goblin King has tried to maintain a semblance of balance, but the wild power of the Labyrinth was never meant to be ruled alone. The Order of the Saarah must be restored and the Regent of the Labyrinth returned to the Goblin throne before time runs out and the Underground is destroyed.





	1. Chapter 1

Thirteen. The clock rang out its ominous warning. Time was up.

“Damn,” Jareth cursed, drawing a small silver blade from his belt.

He had been so certain of this one, the clever young prince with his dark, kohl-rimmed eyes. It ached to know that, upon the final toll of the clock, Jareth would have no memory of the quick-witted young man.

Perhaps it was better this way. After all, Prince Saresh would soon have no memory of his former life, of Jareth, or his attempt to defeat the Labyrinth, just like all the other Labyrinth runners who had failed before him. His beautiful, tall frame would shrink, his golden-brown skin shrivel and sag until the creature he became would be unrecognizable, even to Jareth. His failure to complete the Labyrinth doomed the Prince to become a goblin until a Champion could defeat the Labyrinth.

Or at least, so Jareth hoped. In truth, there was no proof that the Champion, Regent of the Labyrinth, could restore the fallen Saarah. Jareth could only hope that, once the Champion was found, their power would fix all that had fallen into ruin. He was certain the young man was one of the Saarah. He had an adaptive mind and seemed to delight in the Labyrinth’s riddles and tests. He had come so far, and yet, in the end, had failed to reach the castle at the Labyrinth’s center.

 _Such a pity_. He would miss their banter. Of all the Labyrinth runners, Prince Saresh seemed to realize just how trapped they both were by the Labyrinth’s magic, he in the role of desperate hero in a race against time and Jareth in the role of sinister villain determined to stop him. In truth, Jareth did all in his power to subvert the will of the Labyrinth, helping the runners as best he could through indirect means. For Prince Saresh, he had orchestrated that the Prince’s path would cross with a goblin in possession of an enchanted chess piece that, when dropped, would roll in the direction of the castle. Unfortunately, Saresh had lost the piece escaping from a rogue flock of Fireys. Jareth had entertained the notion that, once the Labyrinth was defeated he and Saresh might have become friends. If not for that one stroke of bad luck, Saresh would be standing before Jareth now, the Regent of the Labyrinth and King of the Goblins, finally able to take on the much larger problems threatening the Goblin Kingdom.

What’s done is done, he thought, dragging the tip of the blade against the flesh of his arm. Bright red droplets of blood welled in the wake of the knife’s path, the newest addition to a patch of thin, silver scars that marred the otherwise perfect skin of his arm. He grimaced at the unsightly marks, now eleven in total. It was a crude system, but thus far he had not discovered a better way to protect himself from the forgetfulness that followed the thirteenth hour. By delivering a fresh wound before the final stroke of thirteen, he ensured that he kept a physical record of the fallen Saarah, even if he couldn’t remember their names or faces. In addition, the pain of the cut and fresh blood helped to draw his attention to….

…to…

The last note of chiming clock hung in the air, wavering for a moment, and died.

 _What was I doing, again_ , Jareth thought, shaking his head in an attempt to clear the thick fog that seemed to have settled over his brain in the last…minute? _How long have I been standing here_ , he wondered briefly, before he felt a sharp stinging sensation in his arm. He hissed at the sight of fresh, red blood trailing in a small rivulet from the cut on his arm.

Cursing, he tore a bit of fabric from his silk shirt to bandage the wound. A shame, he thought, pulling the makeshift bandage tight, I really liked this shirt. As he finished tying off the bandage, his eyes were drawn to the bloody knife on the table before him.

My bloody knife, he realized, recognizing the blade. I injured myself, and it appears I did so on purpose, he thought, remembering the older scars that accompanied his fresh wound. How many were there again? 10?

A note sat folded on the table next to his silver knife, the words “ _Read Me”,_ written in his own elegant hand, across the back on the note. It appears this is not the first time I have forgotten in this fashion. Picking up the note, he crossed to the window seat where he sat and unfurled the note he could not remember writing.

“To my forgetful self,

If you are reading this note, it appears we’ve failed again...”


	2. Chapter 2

“To my forgetful self,

If you are reading this note, it appears we’ve failed again, and another of the Saarah has failed to defeat the Labyrinth. The short of it is this, magic is dying. I wish I could say for how long, but to be honest, I don’t exactly know. Here is what I have managed to discern thus far:

The Labyrinth was never meant to be ruled alone. It appears that, in the past, there were three ruling bodies over the Goblin Kingdom; first, the Goblin King or Me; next, The Regent of the Labyrinth, as co-monarch; and finally, the members of the Order of the Saarah. In my research, it seems that the three governing bodies of the Goblin Kingdom shared the burden of magical power amongst themselves, acting as conduits for the realm’s magic and, thus, keeping any one from being crushed beneath the weight of the Kingdom’s power.

Unfortunately, this is where my information becomes piecemeal. I believe the Saarah were once protectors of the realm, though accounts vary. They are depicted in some texts as an advisory council and as knights errant in others.  At some point the Order of the Saarah was destroyed, and a rip between the Realms of Underground and Above was created. I believe that the Saarah were sent to the Above, since this is where all who have returned have come from, though whether they fled to the Above or were exiled there, I do not know.

Then there is the matter of the Regent. It appears that the Monarchy of the Goblin Kingdom has two heads, one hereditary and one magically appointed by the Labyrinth itself. The seat of Regent is empty, and the Labyrinth has been seeking its ruler for some time now. I believe it has been meddling in the Above, conspiring to bring back the Saarah one by one until one of them can defeat the Labyrinth’s tests and claim the throne.

I am certain you see the problem. The Underground survives on magic. It fuels the very foundation of our world. With the Labyrinth drawing the realm’s magic to seek its Champion, things have begun to fall apart. Outer sections of the Labyrinth crumble, food in many parts of the Labyrinth has become scarce, and unrest among the citizens grows. Worse still, the ripples in magical current have attracted the attention of other neighboring Kingdoms, in particular, _his_ Kingdom. The Goblin Kingdom is weakened, and the other Seelie have noticed. Suffice it to say, I cannot maintain the magic necessary to protect the Kingdom alone. In truth, I am exhausted, a state which is not helped by the fact that, as the strongest magical force currently residing in the realm, the Labyrinth forces me to play a part in its tests.

I suppose, at this juncture you’re wondering about the wound on your arm. This is where things become…interesting. In its search for the Labyrinth’s ruler, the Labyrinth is conscripting all its denizens to play a part in its tests, myself included. We are often forced to act as obstacles for the Saarah, a frustrating role to play when I want them to reach the center just as badly as they do! Each Saarah has thirteen hours to complete the maze and reach the castle. In the event of failure, time re-sets, the failed Saarah becomes a Goblin, and the memories of every creature in the underground are reset.

Which brings about the question, how can a Goblin King solve a problem if he cannot recall there was one in the first place? Fortunately for us, we are quite meticulous record keepers. I began a record of the magical disorder at its outset, noting the crop failures and ripples in magical power, and chronicling the first Saarah’s attempt on the maze. After my memory was reset the first time, I began keeping a physical record of the attempts made, as well as leaving little notes for myself. I hope I didn’t hurt you too badly, it really is a crime to mar such perfection.

I wish I had more answers for you. I do not know when the Saarah were disbanded, or why. I do not know why the rip between the Underworld and Above was created, if it was intentional at all. I do not know why the Labyrinth has waited until now to begin its search for the Regent, why our world seemed to function just fine until now. I only know this, without the Regent to shoulder the burden of regulating the Labyrinth’s magic and the Saarah to protect the realm, our Kingdom _will_ fall. It is only a matter of time.”


	3. Chapter 3

The former Prince Saresh Rama Sambhji ran awkwardly through the twisting streets of the Goblin City. A moment ago he was gripped by a sudden, sinking feeling of dread, followed by the terrifying realization that he had no idea who he was. No memories, no images, not even a name to call himself.

He did not run from anything, no one was chasing him. Rather, the act of running itself gave him something to do other than stew in the loss of his memories. As he rounded the corner of a narrow street, he crashed headlong into a squat goblin dragging a large sack of what appeared to be junk.

"Watch where you're going!" the creature screeched in a voice like grinding stones.

Saresh stared dumbfounded at the creature. He had been so absorbed in his own personal trauma, he had barely registered the creatures that inhabited the city. Now he stared, mouth open, at the livid goblin before him, taking in its sagging, wrinkled skin, wild, yellow eyes, and long, pointed nose. In all his life Saresh had never seen anything like it….or so he assumed.

"What are you, some kind of half-witted, ogling fool?" the creature demanded, "A hoggler! That's what you are! A no-good, empty-brained hoggler! Well, I got no time for hoggling nit-wits, so you best keep out of my way!" The creature shoved him hard, knocking him to the ground, before departing hastily.

Saresh stood slowly, brushing off his tattered clothes, and began to take stock. He had come to a sort of city square, at the center of which was a large fountain where other creatures gathered in small groups, occasionally drinking from the water. Realizing just how thirsty his run and recent altercation had made him, Saresh headed to the fountain, keeping a wary eye out in case the angry creature decided to come back.

As he reached the fountain, Saresh caught a glimpse of his reflection in the water below. A creature, similar to the one he'd plowed into, looked back at him. His skin was wrinkled and weathered, a bulbous nose protruded from his small, angular face, and uneven tufts of wiry white hair stuck out from his head at odd angles. His clothing, though worn and dirty, had clearly been expensive once, as evidenced by the detailed embroidery in his ruined vest. The only thing of beauty in appearance were his bright blue eyes.

_What had that thing called me_ , he thought, erasing the image of his reflection by caching a drink of water in his hands. _Hoggler?_ It wasn't a very nice name. In fact, he doubted it was even a real word at all. Even so, he needed to call himself something and, distasteful though it was, Hoggle seemed to fit his gnarled appearance. _It may not be the nicest of names_ , he thought, _but then again, Hoggle does not have to be the nicest of folk_. _After all, no one is nice to Hoggle, so why should Hoggle be nice?_ Even if he did have a friend out there, it wasn't as though he would recognize them anyways. His memories were utterly gone.

He leaned against the fountain and let out a long breath. In that moment, he decided to go as far from the city and its inhabitants as he could. He could look out for himself. From now on, Hoggle would be Hoggle's friend.


	4. Chapter 4

Sarah Williams ran through the park, her long, dark hair catching in the wind. It was a glorious, pre-fall day. The trees were still green with only the first fallen leaves lying on the ground below. The breezy wind carried only the slightest smell of ripe apples and cinnamon, the slight chill it produced a promise of colder days to come.   
In the pocket of her dress she could feel the familiar weight of her favorite book, The Labyrinth. Sometimes she felt that the book was written just for her. In fact, she could not remember when she came into possession of the book. One day it was simply there, lying on her bedside table, waiting for her. These days she hardly went anywhere without it. It was her constant companion, its presence comforting to her in ways she didn’t fully comprehend. There was something about that book that drew her in like no other story had before. Its descriptions of “Underground”, “the Goblin City”, and “the Labyrinth” seemed almost familiar to her, like the fragmentary images of a half-remembered dream. When she closed her eyes, she could picture those places down to the last detail, as easily as she could picture her own room.   
Why this particular book stirred her soul she couldn’t say. In fact, the ending left much to be desired. Right at the moment of confrontation between the young maiden and the Goblin King, the story ended, leaving nothing in the way of resolution. Perhaps it was the lack of resolution itself that led her to reenact the final scene time after time. Or maybe her stepmother, Karen, was right and she did daydream too much for a teenager. 

The truth was, Sarah never quite felt that she belonged, not at home or at school. She had difficulty relating to her peers even as a child, and with every passing year she became more and more isolated. A seventeen-year-old with a strong fixation on fairy tales that dressed like a character straight out the pages of Ivanhoe didn’t rank highly in high-school popularity contests. Not that she was terribly bothered by her lack of friends. She found the concerns of high school politics mundane and yearned for the escape her books provided.   
Being an outsider among one’s peers is one thing, but among your own family, the hurt of loneliness runs deeper. Sarah was happy that her father had found love again, but, in some ways Sarah felt betrayed. It was as though her father had moved on and built himself the life he’d always wanted and forgotten to leave room for her. Oh, she knew her father loved her, but he had always been distant, throwing himself into his work. Sarah had always assumed it had something to do with her birth mother. Her father never mentioned her, always changing the subject when Sarah brought it up. In his new marriage, she was an interloper, an unwanted reminder of a past that everyone would much rather forget.   
Everyone, except Merlin that is. The shaggy sheepdog trotted along at her side, another remnant of the family that existed before her father’s marriage to Karen. Merlin had a sort of magical youthfulness about him, which made it easy to forget that he was nearly 15 years old. Sarah had begged her father for a dog as a child until, finally, he relented. At first, it seemed that the dog breathed some life back into her father. In fact, the first time Sarah remembered seeing her father smile was on an afternoon just like this one, the two of them laughing as Merlin would get distracted and abandon the ball when he was supposed to be playing fetch. He never did get much better at that game, she thought, a wistful smile playing across her lips, he daydreams just as much as I do. The happiness was short lived, however, as her father soon delved back into his work with renewed vigor, leaving Sarah to take care of Merlin on her own.   
So, Sarah took comfort in her daydreams, delving deeper into her books and fantasy worlds. In her stories, she imagined herself the heroine, a woman of importance on whom the fate of worlds rested. She was powerful, revered, and loved. In her fantasies, she mattered, plain and simple.   
Sarah crossed a small stone bridge to her favorite part of the park, a secluded riverbank surrounded by trees. She often came here to act out her favorite parts of her books, as the likelihood of being disturbed here was very slim. Had she known that, on this particular day, she was being watched, perhaps she would have been less inclined to delve as deeply into her performance as she did. But as she stepped off the stone bridge she failed to notice the lone, snow-white bard owl, gazing at her from the trees.  
Lately, there was one scene in particular she had acted out over and over again, the final scene of her favorite book. Slowing her pace, she walked forward in measured steps, speaking the familiar text from memory.  
“Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen,” Sarah said to the crisp fall breeze. Merlin had settled himself into a shady spot beneath a large oak tree, her lone audience member watching with rapt attention.  
“For my will is as strong as yours, and my Kingdom is as great.” She said with confidence, before realizing she had lost her place in the text. “For my will is as strong as yours…”, she muttered under her breath, “…and my Kingdom is as great…”, She searched her brain for another moment before finally admitting defeat. “Damn! I can never remember that line.”  
She pulled the book out of her pocket, flipping the red, well-worn cover open to the exact page she needed. There, on the bottom of the page was the line she was looking for.  
“You have no power over me,” Sarah read aloud. It was the book’s penultimate line of text, the last line of dialogue for the story’s female protagonist. The final portion of the book read as follows:  
“‘You have no power over me,’ she declared, her voice echoing as the power of the Labyrinth surged through her.  
In that moment, the world fell down.”  
It was truly unsatisfying. What did it mean, “…the world fell down,”? And what happened to the child? All these questions remained unanswered.   
Dong. Dong. Dong.  
Sarah was startled from her daydreams by the thick tolling of the bell. Even in this secluded spot, the old city bell’s heavy droning could still reach her. Her heart sank as she realized what that meant.  
“Oh Merlin, I don’t believe it! It’s seven o’clock!” She was late. If there was one thing worse than being ignored by her family, it was being noticed for all the wrong reasons. “Come on!” She called to Merlin, hiking up the end of her dress to keep her from tripping as she ran. There would be hell to pay when she got home.  
It wasn’t fair.


	5. Chapter 5

Jareth awoke from a dream so real, he swore he could smell the faint cinnamon and apple scent on the breeze. He sat up in bed rubbing his mismatched eyes. It was then that he noticed the white feathers on his bed.

 _I've been flying tonight_ , he thought, with a sinking feeling that his "dream" may have been more real than he'd first believed. The notion that he'd flown and not remembered was disconcerting. Even after several thorough readings of the record book of Labyrinth runners, he'd found it hard to believe that the Labyrinth could compel him to actions against his will. And yet, the owl feathers littering his dark bed were unmistakably his own. _It is difficult to argue with hard evidence,_ he admitted _, unfathomable though it may be_.

He pulled the record book off his bedside table and began to record what he'd seen. The cycle was beginning again, and he needed to remember every detail. Even if it had been a dream, and he'd merely shifted form in his sleep, dreams should never be taken lightly. He had long ago abandoned the notion that dreams were meaningless, or that one was safe when inside a dream. Much harm could befall a person in that wild realm.

He noted every detail about the quiet riverbank and the girl with ebony hair. _What was significant about her_ , he wondered. She seemed quite ordinary. Previous runners had all been persons of some importance, scholars, generals, princes, and shamans. Despite her beauty, she was dreadfully inexperienced by comparison. _Surely this girl wasn't the next in line to take on the Labyrinth_.

A thought struck him. Marking his place, he quickly skimmed through the previous accounts of the runners. According to the record, never before had he been given a glimpse of the runners before their appearance in the Labyrinth. If she is the next Saarah then the Labyrinth is doing something new. At the rate things were going, Jareth wasn't convinced that new was a good thing.

Closing his eyes, Jareth leaned back against the headboard and let his muscles relax. He concentrated on emptying his mind until he could feel magic, the heartbeat of the Underground, flowing through him. The sound that met his ears was less like the usual calming, constant pulse of magical energy, and more like a raging tide crashing against a rocky coastline. Based on what he'd just felt, there could be no mistake. The Labyrinth was drawing in magical energy, gearing up for another runner.

Inside his dream-state, he allowed his mind to slip from the anchor of his body, sending his consciousness out over the vast maze. The Labyrinth was a magical touchstone, one of many in the underground. Touchstones were similar to aquifers in a way, deep sources of clean magical energy. Touchstones were typically stable things, constantly bubbling forth with magical energy. The Labyrinth, by contrast, was more of a volcano, gently flowing for years until it exploded with power. Most Underground Kingdoms were built around magical touchstones, though none rivaled the immense power of the Labyrinth.

There was, however, one notable exception, one Kingdom not built upon a touchstone. Jareth expanded his consciousness further to gaze beyond his own lands, setting his eyes upon the Kingdom of Mal Morcant, a warlord whose Kingdom was the closest neighbor to the Goblin Kingdom. It was he who worried Jareth most of all. Having conquered the lands immediately surrounding Jareth's, it was clear that Morcant desired control of the Labyrinth. If the deterioration of the Goblin Kingdom continued, how long before Morcant closed off the trade routes? Even more troubling was Morcant's lack of touchstone proximity. Magic flows from the touchstones over the lands of Underground, but it cannot reach everywhere. Travel too far from a touchstone, and the magic available to draw upon would be barely enough to light a candle. Morcant, however, seemed to draw great stores of power from thin air, completely defying the laws of magic. Jareth did not fancy the idea of fighting an arcanist whose power he could not account for. _Still_ , a nagging thought whispered, _how long do I really have before Morcant grows tired of waiting and marches on the Goblin City?_

Jareth was suddenly drawn back to his body by a painful itching sensation. After the uncomfortable squeezing of consciousness back into corporeal form, Jareth was immediately overwhelmed by the painful prickling sensation that signified a magical overdose. Again, Jareth became concerned. In his dream-state, he shouldn't have been capable of drawing upon the power source, and even waking he wouldn't be so reckless as to attempt a draw this great. Without a body he was merely an observer.

The prickling grew stronger and Jareth collapsed to the floor. In his state of agony, he picked out the familiar pinch of feathers sprouting from his limbs. The Labyrinth was forcing him to shift again, this time awake. He stopped fighting the change and the pain eased.

Within moments he was soaring over the Labyrinth, allowing the deep well of magic inside him to direct his wings. It was no use fighting, the Labyrinth's will was stronger by far. Besides, the sooner the next Saarah attempted the maze, the closer he was to his goal. No matter what role he was forced to play in these tests, he would do what he could to ensure her success, as he had done in the past. Even he wasn't certain he could navigate the Labyrinth without magic. For the sake of his Kingdom, he was counting on a girl he had never met to do the impossible.

He flew far beyond his Kingdom to the edge of the horizon, until he suddenly felt as though he'd slipped sideways. That was the best word for it. It was as though he'd gone between the cracks in the fabric of his world. The clear night sky above him was suddenly stormy. Lightning streaked past him on his flight and rain pelted his feathers. He was no longer in the Underground. For the first time in his long life, he was Above.

Up ahead, he could see a light coming from the upstairs window of a home. He tried to slow his pace, but to no avail. He careened through the window, which, mercifully, opened to accommodate his breakneck speed. The moment his feet touched the floor, he transformed back into his tall, fae form.

"You're him, aren't you? You're the Goblin King."

The first thing he noticed were her bright, peridot green eyes, gazing at him with a mixture of fear and awe. Jareth stood silently, momentarily paralyzed by the girl before him. He'd been wrong about her. Sure, she was no priestess, scholar, or general, but there _was_ something extraordinary about her. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was as though the two of them were cut from the same cloth, something familiar about her that reached out to him. He was struck by the sudden feeling that _knew_ her, impossible though that may be.

"I wan't my brother back, if it's all the same." she pleaded

 _So, now I'm a baby-snatcher_ , Jareth thought humorlessly. _No_ , _new definitely isn't a good thing_. _The next thirteen hours are going to be interesting_


	6. Chapter 6

In the weeks since his memory loss, Hoggle had journeyed far from the goblin city, not stopping until he reached the gates. The travel had been hard, but the solitude he found outside the gates was worth the ache in his feet and the gnawing hunger in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't say what, exactly, compelled him to stop here. It wasn't a particularly beautiful location. Food was scarce, and what edible plants remained were constantly being devoured by swarms of flora fairies.

Perhaps it was the sheer isolation this location provided. Beyond the nasty little fairies, he had yet to encounter another creature out here. Or perhaps he simply accepted that it truly didn't matter where he went, Hoggle had no home to go to, no friend to welcome him. So, he settled down in the most remote place he could find, a place that belonged only to Hoggle.

Hoggle was making his daily checks on his food sources. Sure enough, his few plants were covered in tiny fairies, chewing away at his precious mushrooms.

"46, 47, 48…" He counted, spraying the fairies with a pesticide of his own making. It didn't kill them, merely confused them and knocked out their wings for a few hours _. If they ain't flying, they ain't taking what's mine_ , Hoggle thought, proud of his handiwork.

Continuing his rounds, he sprayed a few more rogue faries before reaching his next plant. To his horror, he found a swarm covering the entire surface of the Labyrinth wall on which it grew.

"Go on! Shoo!" he yelled, spraying as fast as he could. "51! 52! 53! That's right, get! Them's _my_ honeysuckle! 54! 55! 56!" As the last of the fairies abandoned the plant, he was devastated to discover only a few of the beautiful white buds remained unharmed.

Of all his plants, the honeysuckle was his favorite. Not that it had much nutritional value. Hoggle knew he couldn't live on honeysuckle alone. It was, however, the only sweet, delicious treat he had, and he didn't feel much like sharing. The tiny drops of nectar reminded him of the foods he tasted in his dreams.

And what beautiful dreams they were. Hoggle dreamt every night of the same thing, a decadent room with tall ceilings and gleaming stone floors full of laughing people covered in sparkling jewels. In the background was the most beautiful music he'd ever heard, accompanied by a rhythmic drumming that made his heart race. Everyone was smiling, as though they'd never known anything but happiness, and dressed in silks of every color imaginable. Spread before him was a glorious feast with foods he couldn't even name. His favorite was a deep red fruit whose seeds burst in your mouth with a rich, tart taste. It all seemed so real, like a memory rather than a dream.

But when he woke, Hoggle was reminded of the truth. He was a goblin. There was no place for him with those beautiful, smiling people. It was merely a fantasy.

And yet, every time he found a pretty stone or shiny piece of metal, Hoggle couldn't resist the urge to add it to his own small collection of "jewels". They weren't much, nothing like the shimmering stones he saw in his dreams, but they were his.

Grumbling to himself about the loss of his favorite treat, Hoggle paused in his rounds to relieve himself in a scummy pond. _Another good thing about being alone_ , he mused, _no one cares where you take a piss_.

Which is why he was startled when his private moment was rudely interrupted.

"Excuse me?"

Hoggle whirled around, quickly fastening his pants and found himself face to face with a beautiful, dark-haired girl in a flowing white shirt.

"Oh, Excuse me!" He said hurriedly. He was suddenly reminded of the women in his dreams. Tall, statuesque creatures with musical voices. Though this girl was considerably fairer-skinned than them, she would not have looked out of place among them in her richly-embroidered vest.

_This must be the girl the fairies were chattering about_ , he thought to himself, _the Saarah girl_. He suddenly realized that, if she was a Saarah, he wanted no part of her, or her problems. Anything that attracted the attention of the Goblin King was trouble, and the whole Labyrinth had buzzed with rumors concerning the Saarah and the King's interest in them during his journey to the outer wall.

"Oh, it's you." Hoggle snorted with derision. He picked up his sprayer and set himself back to his chores, hoping she'd take the hint.

She didn't.

"Can you help me get through this Labyrinth?" She asked.

"Hmmph!" Hoggle wouldn't be fooled by her sweet pleading. She was trouble. He wished she would stop following him.

"Oh, how sweet!" She exclaimed.

Trouble, and apparently an idiot. Didn't she know anything about flora fairies?

"57!" He said triumphantly, gleefully spraying the fairy in mid-flight.

"How COULD you! You MONSTER!" The girl yelled after him, followed shortly by a sudden cry of pain "It bit me!"

"What did you expect fairies to do?" he asked.

"I thought they did nice things," she said, "like granting wishes."

"Shows what you know, don't it?" Hoggle fought to suppress a laugh. "58."

"You're horrible!"

At this Hoggle took offense. _What did_ she _know?_ ** _She_** _didn't have to fight stupid fairies for food._ ** _She_** _wasn't a goblin._ **_She'd_** _probably never gone without a meal in her life!_ He was growing tired of her.

"No, I ain't," he said defensively, "I'm Hoggle. Who are you?"

"Sarah." She replied.

"That's what I thought." As he feared. He didn't want to get mixed up in anything to do with this Saarah business. From what he'd heard it sounded dangerous and Hoggle was a proud coward. "59!"

"Do you know where the door to the Labyrinth is?"

_Gods, did she ever give up?_ She clearly knew _nothing_ about the way the Labyrinth worked, as if it had only one entrance that stayed put. The door had appeared to him on his way out of the Labyrinth after weeks of calling for it, but upon exiting, it had vanished behind him. He continued to dodge her questions, feigning ignorance until finally her resolve crumbled.

"It's hopeless." She said.

Hoggle could hear the defeat in her voice, and a twinge of pity nagged at his heart. Perhaps his own resolve to leave well enough alone was weakening as well.

"Not if you ask the right questions." He supposed he could help with just one, tiny thing. _It didn't mean anything_ , he thought, _and besides, the sooner she got what she wanted, the sooner he could be alone again._ Yet, somehow the thought of being alone no longer appeared as attractive to him.

"How do I get into the Labyrinth?" she asked, with renewed determination in her voice.

As she spoke, Hoggle felt a small shiver run down his spine and an electric charge rise in the air as he sensed the Labyrinth changing. Without turning to confirm, he knew that the entrance would be behind him. She'd called, and the Labyrinth answered.

"Ah! Now _that's_ more like it. You gets in there." He turned, pointing to the ornate doorway that had materialized behind him. _Funny_ , he thought, _all I gots was a tiny wooden door when I left that awful place._ He didn't envy the arduous journey ahead of her, that much was certain.

"You really going in there, are you?" he asked

"Yes," she sighed, "I'm afraid I have to."

"Now, would you go left or right?" he asked, jokingly. It didn't really didn't matter which way you went, the Labyrinth changed all the time. You'd either get where you're going or you wouldn't. It was more a matter of outlasting the mazes twists and turns than outwitting it. No one could outwit a thing made of pure magic.

"They both look the same," she said.

"You're not going to get very far." Hoggle scoffed. He still couldn't believe she planned to go in there.

"How would you go?" She asked.

"Me? I wouldn't go either way!" It was the truth.

"If that's all you'll say, you can leave."

_How unbelievably rude_ , Hoggle thought, _and after I helped her!_

"You know your problem? You take too much for granted! Take this Labyrinth," or my help for that matter, he thought bitterly, "even if you reach the center, you'll never get out again."

"That's your opinion." She said haughtily.

"It's much better than yours!"

_Who does she think she is, Queen of the Labyrinth?_ He was getting sick of her rudeness. After all, he didn't _have_ to help her at all…so why had he?

"Thanks for nothing, Hogwart!" The girl did not give Hoggle a second glance as she dashed off into the Labyrinth.

"It's HOGGLE! And don't say I didn't warn you!"

_Well, good riddance_ , he thought, picking up his sprayer. _Why should I care what happens to her? Hoggle's got his own problems to worry about. No need getting involved in hers._

And yet, he stood transfixed at the still open doorway, wondering if she'd be ok. She certainly was powerful, having called forth such an ornate entrance to her aid, however she _did_ take things for granted. Folk weren't likely to give her the time of day in there, much less help her. She was more likely to get hurt or die. He had made it out ok, but the thought of attempting such a journey again? He shuddered. _No thank you._

_Although, she is all alone in there. Maybe I could…._

_No!_ Who was he kidding? He wasn't some Prince in a fairy story. And she wasn't some Princess in need of rescue. She was rude, arrogant, and-

The ground shook. A high-pitched squeal erupted from the massive hinges as the gate began to swing closed. Without thinking, Hoggle dropped his sprayer and dashed inside, barely making it through the doors as the gate slammed shut behind him. When he blinked, it vanished into thin air.

_Too late now_ , he thought. He'd already chosen. In the distance, he could just make out the fluttering, white fabric of her shirt.


	7. Chapter 7

_Babies are **loud** creatures_. Jareth sat sprawled in his throne, tapping a riding crop against his thigh impatiently and fighting a splitting headache. As if he didn't have enough on his plate what with a runner attempting the Labyrinth, a magical force to subvert, and a warlord perched like a vulture outside his Kingdom, now he had a _baby_ to attend to. _A squealing, sobbing, shrieking_ _baby_.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" the child shrieked.

 _Do human children breathe through their eyes?!_ Jareth was at his wits end. _What do I know about caring for a human baby?_ The whole situation was absurd. He wasn't some wicked character in a silly human tale, he was the _King_! _The worst part of all this_ , he thought, _is that if she does complete the Labyrinth I'm going to have to convince the poor girl that I'm not some kidnapping monster_.

Unable to remain sitting, he crossed to the crystal perched on a dais in the middle of the throne room. Crystals made excellent vessels for magical power. Jareth kept a small cache of them, seven in total, imbued with power. He typically kept them locked away for emergency uses or times when he travelled too far from a touchstone. At the moment, however, he tapped into one of his reservoirs for a bit of passive spell work, the use of farsight to observe young miss Sarah's journey through the labyrinth. He was more than capable of scrying on her himself, however, between the erratic disruptions in magical energy, and his own state of exhaustion due to his new status as babysitter, he deemed it wiser to save his strength.

Gazing into the crystal, he watched Sarah as she attempted to mark her path with a tube of lipstick. It was a clever plan, but unfortunately too easily manipulated. Marking the surface of the Labyrinth itself would do her no good, not when all its magical might was bent on inhibiting her progress. She would have to do better if she wished to succeed.

Jareth, meanwhile, shifted the crystal's focus to look farther down her path, searching for an opening to help her. She'd only encountered one creature that could potentially be of any use so far, but Jareth had ruled him out almost immediately. Even from a distance, he could tell that the goblin was a coward down to the marrow of his bones, far more concerned with saving his own neck than anything else. So far, it seemed, Sarah was on her own.

 _Interesting_ , he thought, _that her name should so closely resemble that of the Order of Saarah_. It was an acronym, in fact, standing for the Order of Seelie Arcanists and Armsmen, the Realm's Avowed Heroes, or Saarah for short. True, that nearly all who had run the Labyrinth had names resembling some derivative of "Saarah", however hers was by far the closest approximate. Jareth briefly pondered the significance of that similarity before something moving in the crystal caught his attention.

 _It seems our miss Sarah is being followed_. Taking care to stay just one turn behind her was the goblin Sarah encountered outside the Labyrinth. He had to hand it to the creature- _Hoggle, was it?-_ Whatever his name was, Jareth wouldn't have believed that the goblin had the guts to go after the girl had he not seen it with in own eyes.

 _Perhaps_ , he thought, _the creature **could** be of use. After all, he had clearly navigated the Labyrinth before_ _. Jareth had never known a goblin to wander as far from the city as this one had. Not to mention, he had shown her the way into the Labyrinth, albeit indirectly. Of course, who knows what might have happened had he attempted to tell her how to access the Labyrinth outright. The door might have failed to appear or worse, she might have had to scale the massive walls_ _._ Jareth shuddered at the thought. If the creatures on the ground were dangerous, those that dwelled on the Labyrinths high walls were quite another thing entirely. The walls of the outer maze were populated with wraiths, griffins, and gargoyles, to name only a few. Even Jareth avoided flying too close in owl form. Gargoyles, in particular were quite territorial, even among their own kind. In the far reaches of the Labyrinth, it was not uncommon to find piles of ruined stone covered in deep claw marks, the carnage of frequent territory battles.

"Your Majesty," a harsh goblin voice said, drawing Jareth from his thoughts, "We've received another missive from Lord Morcant. He desires to meet with you at-"

"Not now," Jareth said, cutting off the messenger, "If you must reply, send my regrets, otherwise ignore it. I have no desire to treat with that warmonger. Unless Morcant wishes to march his army against me _this second_ , I haven't the time to deal with him or his missives." With a wave, he dismissed the goblin.

 _Back to the problem at hand_ , he thought, returning his attention to the crystal just in time to see Hoggle running terrified from a small group of goblin guards, who showed little interest in chasing him. _My first impression wasn't wrong, then_ , Jareth thought, _this one truly is a coward_. And yet, as soon as the "danger" had passed, the goblin went right back to shadowing Sarah, quickly picking up her trail. Jareth made up his mind, though it wasn't his first choice of assistant, he would find a way to ensure that this goblin helped Sarah get through the maze.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

 _One problem at a time, indeed_. He couldn't leave the babe in such a state. If he was going to be a child-snatcher, he could at least be a humane one. Sitting himself back down on his throne, he picked up the child.

He screamed even louder, causing Jareth to squint in pain.

 _Damn, I can almost understand why someone would wish you away, child_.

The baby looked Jareth dead in the eyes and wailed again.

"You are trying my patience, infant," he warned, immediately chastising himself as he did so. _As if a baby could understand a threat_ , he scoffed at himself. Jareth was starting to lose it. He needed a solution, and quick.

"You there," Jareth called out to one of the less rambunctious goblins milling about the throne room, "How do you comfort a child?"

"You could let it play with the battle axes!" the goblin suggested.

"No, a _human_ child"

"Oh," the goblin thought for a moment, "maybe your Majesty could sings it a song?"

Jareth would be damned if he would sing a lullaby to this human baby in front of so many of his subjects. And yet, the wailing had to stop somehow. _Well_ , he thought with a wry smile, _perhaps it doesn't have to be a lullaby, exactly…_ _  
_

* * *

Jareth shifted from owl form in a stony, unremarkable portion of the Labyrinth. In the end, it hadn't taken long to get the child to calm down, though it did perhaps cost a bit of his dignity. _He **had** taken to the child_ , he admitted grudgingly, _but only a bit_. Secretly he'd enjoyed the moment of levity the song provided, and the child's giggling was a far cry better than his sobbing. He'd left the infant sleeping in his own rooms, safe in the knowledge that no one would dare enter Jareth's chambers without permission. He quickly pulled out a crystal to scry on the child, releasing a small sigh of relief when he confirmed that the babe was safe.

He then turned the crystal's focus to the target of this little mission. Sure enough, the goblin he sought was headed right into Jareth's path. He quickly reviewed his plan in his mind. The details were simple enough, however there was no guarantee of success. Goblins were flighty subjects at best, and this one, it appeared, was flightier than most. Right now, Hoggle was his best chance of getting Sarah through the Labyrinth. Jareth was counting on Hoggle's disobedience, but, to obtain it, he would need to employ some trickery. He would have to be sneaky, but, most importantly, he would have to be insulting, a task that appealed to Jareth _immensely_.

Right on time, Hoggle rounded the corner, his eyes widening with fright as he saw Jareth. For a moment he stood frozen, then he slowly took one cautious step backwards. Jareth spoke before Hoggle could move another inch.

"I've been waiting for you, goblin," Jareth said, adding an extra layer of menace to is voice, "Tell me, where did she go?"

The goblin hesitated, wringing his hands, his eyes darting about as if still decided wether or not to run.

"Wh-Who, your M-Majesty?" Hoggle stuttered.

 _Playing ignorant again_ , Jareth noted. With only nine hours remaining Jareth had little time for games.

"Come come, Hoggor," he said, purposefully messing up the creature's name, "I know you've been following her. I want to know where she is."

"It's Hoggle," the goblin muttered under his breath, his voice barely a whisper. Jareth could just pick out the irritation in the goblin's voice.

 _Good_ , Jareth thought, _we're getting somewhere_.

"What was that?" Jareth demanded. He was laying it on thick, but, at the moment, he couldn't afford to show weakness.

"Nothing your _Majesty_ ," Hoggle said.

 _Was that a small hint of sarcasm?_ _Perhaps I underestimated him_ , Jareth thought. _When all of this is over I might just have to teach this one some respect_. Circumstances aside, he was still _King_. Jareth did not enjoy being disrespected by his own subjects. For now, however, he would let the insult lie. After all, Jareth _was_ trying to goad him. _Mustn't lose track of the end game._

"Fine," Jareth sighed, "you don't have to tell me where the girl went. I have a much better idea. I have a job for you, Hogwog."

Hoggle waited for Jareth to continue.

"You see, I have a special interest in the girl. She has defied me at every turn, and now seeks to complete _my_ Labyrinth. I've tried myself to keep up with the girl, but she manages to slip through my grasp at every turn. You, however, seem quite adept at picking up her trail, which is why I need you to do something for me, Hogbrain."

"Y-yes, your Majesty?"

Jareth paused for a moment creating just the right amount of suspense.

"I need you to find the girl, and once you've caught up to her, I need you to lead her back to the beginning of the Labyrinth."

"R-right, o-of course. But, uh, what if the lady don't go with me?" Hoggle said, fidgeting with his hands as he spoke.

"For some inexplicable reason, she trusts you," Jareth said, surprised at the slight twinge of jealousy that arose as he said it.

"And if I don't?" The question was barely a whisper. By the look on Hoggle's face, the thought had slipped out unintentionally.

He _was_ getting bold. Jareth closed the distance between them in two, quick steps, bringing his face down until his eyes were level with the goblin's.

"Understand this, goblin: comply with my wishes and no harm will come to you, but disobey, or worse, fail to complete this task, and I will personally see to it that you spend the rest of your miserable life in the Bog of Eternal Stench. Now GO!"

Hoggle ran past Jareth as fast as his legs could carry him. For a moment, Jareth wondered if he had gone too far with his final threat. He couldn't have the goblin so afraid that he'd actually _do_ as commanded. But as he shifted into owl form, he recalled the slight burn of defiance in Hoggle's eyes as he ran. No, he'd gotten under Hoggle's skin well enough, and an angry goblin was rarely an obedient one.

He could only hope he'd put his faith in the right man for the job.


	8. Chapter 8

Hoggle crawled through a tunnel beneath the Labyrinth. He'd had a difficult time finding Sarah's trail after his confrontation with the Goblin King. In the short time he'd been delayed, she'd managed to get herself locked up in an oubliette. _Honestly_ , he thought, _the girl was a_ _ **magnet**_ _for trouble_.

And yet, she'd navigated the Labyrinth with relative ease so far. Compared to his arduous journey, she'd covered more ground in hours than he had in weeks. _She shouldn't have gotten this far_ , he thought, _not without magic to guide her_. Despite her one use of power to call forth the door, Hoggle had yet to see another demonstration of magic from the girl. It was as though she flat-out refused to use it…or wasn't aware that she could.

 _What's the point of pond'ring over it_ , Hoggle thought, pressing forward. _It's not as though it changes my plans_. Magic or no magic, he had a job to do; take the girl back to the beginning of the Labyrinth. In his previous journey, he'd traveled downwind of the Bog of Eternal Stench for half a day, and just the memory of the horrible smell was enough to give him a healthy fear of Jareth's threat. Personal feelings aside, he wasn't going to risk Jareth's wrath.

Before long, Hoggle could hear muffled crying up ahead. He was getting close. He crawled through the tunnel until he reached an opening just large enough for someone goblin-sized to pass through. _There was no way this "Sarah" girl could fit through here_ , he thought, finding it odd that her name was so similar to "the Saarah". _Maybe that's why Jareth is so interested in her._ In any event, there was no getting her out the way he'd come. He would have to find another way, and that meant magic. Hoggle had only used magic once before, the time when he called the doorway to escape the Labyrinth. With any luck he could do it again, but if things went wrong…

Hoggle shuddered at the thought of a lifetime spent in a dank oubliette. _Well, at least I wouldn't be alone._ The thought popped into his head unexpectedly. _Where had_ _ **that**_ _come from? Since when did he care about being alone?_

Wiggling the rest of the way up through the small opening, Hoggle brushed himself off, just in time to catch her stifling her tears. In the darkness it was impossible for her to see him, and, for a split second, he considered crawling back through the small hole into the tunnel and abandoning the girl entirely. He had certainly never had run-ins with the Goblin King _before_ she came along. True, his life had been far from comfortable, but it had been _safe_. Safe was something.

"Who's There?" she said, her voice echoing in the darkness.

 _Too late, she'd must've heard me_. He pulled a match from his pouch and struck it.

"Me," Hoggle said simply, using the match to light a candle in the center of the cramped dungeon room.

"Oh, it's you!" she said, as though greeting a dear friend.

Hoggle was thrown by her enthusiastic greeting. _Had she forgotten the way their last conversation ended?_ She'd all but told him to bugger off! And after he'd gone out of his way to help her! _Well, perhaps she'll be more appreciative now that she's spent some time in a dungeon._

"Oh, uh-yes…well…" he stuttered, "I knew you were going to get into trouble," _that much was true_ , "so, I've come to give you a hand."

The girl said nothing as she took in her bleak surroundings. By the look on her face, she had only just realized that she was not in some underground portion of the Labyrinth, but in one of its many dungeons.

"Oh, you're looking around. I suppose you've noticed there ain't no doors, only the hole. This is an oubliette. Labyrinth's full of them."

"I didn't know that" she said, with a touch of sarcasm in her tone.

"You don't even know what an oubliette is!"

"Do you?"

No, her time in the dungeon had not made her more appreciative. She was still the same rude girl he'd met at the gate. _Didn't she realize that she wasn't getting out of here without help?_

"Yes," Hoggle said, taking pride that he knew something she didn't, "It's a place you put people to _forget_ about them."

This seemed to knock her down from her high horse a bit. She looked for a second as though she wanted to say something, but then appeared to think better of it.

"What you've got to do," Hoggle continued, "is get out of her. I know a short cut out of the Labyrinth-"

"-NO!" she yelled, "I'm not giving up now! I've come too far!"

She took a deep breath, and Hoggle caught a shadow of self-doubt as it crossed her face.

"N-no, I'm doing ok," she said.

"Of _course_ you are," he said, placating her. The last thing he needed was to be stuck in a dungeon with a _panicked_ , magical moron. "But," he warned, "it gets a lot worse from here on in."

It was the truth. Even without the dangerous creatures, lack of food and fresh water, and the Labyrinths endless twists and turns, there was the fact that every step she took in the direction of the castle was another step closer to the King. The way was far too treacherous. _Better_ , he thought, _to have her hate me for saving her life than to let her walk headfirst into certain doom._

"Why are you so concerned about me?" she asked.

Hoggle was struck by her question. He'd been asking himself the very same thing from the minute he'd jumped through the Labyrinth's doors behind her. Why did he care about a girl who constantly dismissed him, whose presence had caused him nothing but trouble?

"Uh…What?" he said, mostly to fill the silence.

 _Because I like her_. Maybe it was because of the moments when she treated him almost like a friend, or maybe it was because she sometimes looked at him like…like the people in his dreams. She looked at him like he _mattered_ to her, like she _cared_ about what happened to him. Loath as he was to admit it, she was the closest thing to a friend he'd had since he lost his memory, and that drew him to her like gravity.

"Well-uh, I am. That's all," he said. She looked at him expectantly with her peridot eyes. "Nice young girl…terrible black oubliette.."

Yes, despite everything, the sass and the threat of stench, he liked her, and, for a moment, Hoggle felt like the white knight in some human tale, charging in to rescue the beautiful maiden from certain peril.

"You like jewelry, don't you?"

 _How did she know that_ , he thought, before realizing he was fiddling with one of the bracelets he'd made himself out of shiny stones.

"Why?" he asked, immediately suspicious. He could practically see the gears whirring in her mind. _What was she up to?_

"If you help me solve the Labyrinth, I'll give you this," she said, holding up a glimmering circlet of the shiniest stones Hoggle had ever seen. "You like it, don't you?"

 _Did he? Of course he did!_ They were just like the glittering jewels the people in his dreams wore, their arms, necks, and hair all glittering from the reflection of the stones. By comparison, his own homemade bracelet seemed shoddy. He wanted it.

"Uh…so-so," he said, feigning indifference.

"Oh, ok." She said, calling his bluff.

Hoggle practically tripped over himself trying to run after her before she hid the bracelet from him.

"You give me the bracelet," he bargained, "and I'll…I'll show you the way out of the Labyrinth!"

"You were going to do that anyways!"

 _Stupid_ , he thought. She had a point. Showing her the way out wasn't going to get him anywhere.

"Well, that's what would make it a particularly nice gesture."

She sighed, exasperated, still dangling the bracelet in her hands.

"Take me as far as you can," she pleaded, "and then I'll do it on my own."

Hoggle paused for a minute. Taking her further into the Labyrinth would directly contradict the Goblin King's orders. However, he may have to go a bit further inwards to reach an exit that wasn't goblin-sized. It would be easy to take her to the exit and then let her go on her merry way. He could leave this whole mess behind him.

"What is that, anyway?" he asked, pointing to the bracelet. If he was going to contradict the Goblin King, she'd better make it worth his while.

"Plastic," she shrugged.

"Ohhhh…" It must be very valuable, as Hoggle had never heard of it before. He stared at the beautiful trinket for a moment. _Was she worth risking eternal stench?_ Then again, he supposed he _had_ already stuck his neck in too far to go back now. He was involved. And besides, he didn't particularly care for Jareth. No, he would do what he must to go back to his quiet life where he might not be happy, but he'd at least be safe.

_And if I make her smile along the way, where's the harm in that?_

"I don't promise nothing, but I'll take you a far as I can. Then you're on your own, right?"

"Right."

"Right!" He said one last time for emphasis.

She held out the bracelet and he snatched it from her before she could change her mind. He slipped it onto his wrist admiring the way it gleamed, even in the dim candlelight.

Now to find a way out. He had called a small wooden door only once before, but the effort of materializing such a thing had drained him. He supposed, if he could find a bit of wood large enough, he might not have to call the entire door, just the passage behind it. He rummaged through the oubliette, searching until he found a plank that would create a large enough space for the two of them to fit through. The wood was old and rotten, but the look wasn't important so long as the magic worked.

Hoggle propped the "door" up against the wall of the dungeon, placing his hand against the wood. He closed his eyes briefly until he felt it. Thump. Thump. Thump. Like a heartbeat, the magical energy softly pulsed all around him. Setting his intention in his mind, he drew a bit of power into himself, then directed it towards the door.

Click. He felt the door shudder beneath his hand.

"Here we go," he said. Smiling, he opened the door, and was promptly pummeled by a mountain of poorly organized cleaning supplies.

"Ah! Oh! Damn! Broom closet!" He struggled to put the stubborn items back in their cramped home. _This_ , he reminded himself, _is why I don't tangle with magic. Too unpredictable_.

She looked at him quizzically, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, can't be right all the time," he said, sheepishly.

Shoving the last of the supplies roughly inside, he shut the door again and directed the last bit of the magical energy he'd drawn at the door. This time the click was louder, and light streamed in from behind the door.

"Ah! This is it," he said, more confidently than he felt, opening the door from the opposite side.

The look on Sarah's face as the door opened nearly made his knees buckle. Her smiles, though rare, were truly effervescent. Hoggle smiled back. _Maybe I could take her just up to the gates of the city_. If she would smile at him like that, he might even cross the bog of stench for her.

 _The bog. The King. His threat. No, all much too dangerous_. Better to get out while he still could.

He cleared his throat in an attempt to regain his composure. _I am leaving her, I am leaving her, I am leaving her_. He chanted the mantra in his head, a reminder that he had no business inserting himself into her troubles.

"This way," he said with a flourish of his hand, before turning and ducking through the doorway.

He might not stick around for long, but he'd enjoy her company while it lasted, happy in the knowledge that, at least once, he'd gotten to rescue the princess.


	9. Chapter 9

"Ludo? Ludo?!"

 _First Hoggle and now Ludo_ , Sarah thought, _I'm losing friends left and right_! With a sigh, she slid against the trunk of a tree until she rested on the mossy forest floor. She groaned, not realized how sore her muscles were. She couldn't sit long, but after 5 trying hours of non-stop waking, running, and searching, she deserved a rest.

Hoggle's "jewels" clinked in the bag at her hip as she rubbed her sore calves. Damn him. What kind of a friend just abandons you at the first sign of trouble? Then again, she supposed she hadn't been very nice to him at the start. She was so worried about Toby she hadn't given much care to anyone else's feelings. The goblin seemed willing enough to help her, if not for his utter terror at loud noises, the Labyrinth, the bog of stench, which Sarah suspected was made up, and of course the Goblin King, who was all too real. He did his best, she supposed, even if it wasn't much. She would always be grateful to him for rescuing her from the oubliette, however. She'd almost given up before he'd arrived to save the day. She could forgive him for abandoning her, she decided, she owed him that much.

She looked around at the dense trees. The area was so overgrown, it almost felt as though she'd managed to leave the maze entirely. For the first time since she arrived in the underground, she couldn't see the castle at all.

Part of her felt relieved, as though by not being in sight of the castle, she would be safe from the attention of its King. _Jareth_. She hardly knew what to make of him. On the one hand, he'd stolen her brother and, all too recently, tried to kill her. After their run-in with the cleaners Sarah understood why Hoggle was so terrified of the Goblin King.

On the other hand, there was something about him that seemed sad. She remembered his warning when she began her journey, " _Turn back Sarah. Turn back before it's too late_." He'd sounded almost protective of her, and his eyes pleaded with her to listen. _Why did he seem to care so much about her, yet work so hard to stop her?_ In their last encounter, she recalled the trembling in his arm when he'd thrown the crystal and summoned the cleaners, as though he were fighting with all his strength against some unseen force. He would certainly be easier to understand if he behaved more like the King in her book. That man was cruel and unfeeling. He delighted in the suffering of others. Jareth, however, seemed to suffer every time he'd caused her pain.

 _Well, good! He deserves it_. She didn't care if he, like so many of the Labyrinth's residents, wasn't as he appeared to be. He had still threatened her half-brother. She hoped he suffered, because when she got to the castle she was going to make him pay!

She stood up, brushing the moss off her jeans, when she was suddenly grabbed from behind.

"Hoggle, HELP!" She screamed, before her attacker's other hand closed over her mouth, stifling her screams. _Idiot_ , she thought. It was no use calling for _Hoggle_ of all people. He'd ditched her at the mere _sound_ of Ludo, and Ludo wouldn't hurt a fly! Still, as her captor dragged her from the path into the dense trees, part of her hoped he'd miraculously find her like he did in the oubliette.

"Shhhhhh," a male voice said from behind, "I'm not here to hurt you, I just want to talk."

Sarah doubted that. If he'd wanted to talk, why hadn't he approached her on the path like a _normal human being?_ Images of the tv show "Stranger Danger" popped unbidden into her head.

"I'm going to let go of you now, and I need you to promise me you won't scream." The man said, his lips so close to hear ear she could feel the heat of his breath when he spoke. Sarah nodded her understanding, and he released her.

Stumbling, she turned to face her abductor. He was tall, with tan skin and eyes so dark they were nearly black. Despite his young appearance, his long hair was pure silver, tied with a black ribbon at the nape of his neck. Though his looks bespoke nobility, he dressed simply in a white shirt, brown breeches, and black boots, and black leather gloves. He wore a hodded cloak out of a shabby brown fabric, with the hood drawn over his head. He was strong too. Though his clothes hid his muscled form, Sarah was still a bit sore from the strength he'd used to grab her. Something about him unsettled Sarah. He was a little too cool, his calm, pleasant expression just a little bit forced, his eyes betraying a certain hardness of character.

"Who-"

"Let's skip the pleasantries if you don't mind," he interrupted. "We don't have much time, Jareth is distracted for now, but not for long. I need to ask you about the portal"

"Portal?" Sarah replied, confused. _Who is this guy? And what is he talking about? What Portal?_ Sarah prayed that she hadn't just been carried off by a crazy person. Her eyes darted to the tree line. Though she could still see the path, he'd carried her just far enough that she had no doubt he'd catch her before she reached it if she tried to run.

"Don't try it," he warned, his voice icy, "I've spent long enough tracking you as it is." He took a step toward Sarah, and, involuntarily, she took a step back in retreat. "Now, tell me, where is the portal?"

"I-I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about." Sarah said, wishing desperately to cry for help. Even Jareth would be a welcome sight if it meant getting away from this man and his cold, cruel eyes.

"The portal-how you got here from your world-I need to know where it is. When you arrived here, where did you come through?" He continued to advance on Sarah until he cornered her against a large tree trunk.

"S-somewhere outside the Labyrinth, I-I don't know."

"Where, exactly?

"I don't know! One minute I was home and then I turned around and I was here. I'm sorry, I can't help you. I'm just trying to find my brother and get out of here!"

He paused at this, his expression growing dark and unreadable. Sarah could hear her heart pounding in her chest. Until now, she hadn't considered the possibility that she might die before she could save Toby.

"Another came through with you?" he asked in a measured tone.

Sarah instantly regretted mentioning her brother. He stared at her expectantly and Sarah nodded, fearing that, as she did so, she was betraying Toby's safety yet again.

"P-please," she said, uncertain exactly what she was begging him for, "I don't know anything, nor does my brother. I can't help you."

He broke into a hungry, Cheshire cat grin that chilled her to the core. It was the smile of a wolf that's picked the weak deer from the heard, the smile of a predator that's claimed its prey.

"No, you've been most helpful. Good luck finding your brother miss Sarah Williams. It was… _nice_ to see you again." He turned and ran, disappearing into the trees.

Sarah stood stunned for a moment. _I never told him my name. And what did he mean "_ _ **again**_ _"?_ She couldn't shake the feeling that, somehow, she'd given him exactly what he wanted, if only she knew what it was.

She quickly returned to the path, knowing she had limited time left to solve the Labyrinth. She may not like Jareth, but at least he showed signs of compassion, some of the time anyways. This man however…she shuddered. Everything about him screamed _predator_. Not even Jareth was that calculating, that cold. As she resumed her pace through the forest, she hoped fervently that she would never see that man again.


	10. Chapter 10

High in the tower room of his castle, Jareth watched Sarah, lazily turning the crystal in his hand as he studied her. _Her group of companions has grown_ , he noted, taking comfort that he would no longer be forced to rely on Hoggle to aid the girl.

 _About time she found some more loyal protectors_ , he thought. Hoggle had been quite a challenge to keep on the right path. Twice Jareth had to intervene directly, and the first time he'd nearly killed Sarah. As it was the Labyrinth had forced him to not only summon the cleaners, but to reorder time itself against her.

"It's not fair!" She had yelled at him. How little she knew of unfairness. Unfair was desperately needing her to succeed and being forced to play a villain in her story. Unfair was possessing great magical power but being unable to help her. Unfair was falling for her, but hearing her scream " _Hoggle_ , help!", crying out for a creature that was happily leaving her to her fate! Jareth no longer needed to pretend to despise Hoggle, now his threats were real. He would happily throw the goblin into the Bog of Stench if it would help Sarah in any way, but he suspected that would only serve to make her despise him even more.

No, it _wasn't_ fair. It wasn't fair that Hoggle could help her and Jareth could not. It wasn't fair that she _cared_ for the goblin, that she trusted a creature who abandoned her. It wasn't fair that, despite his best intentions, Jareth had grown to desire a girl who had every reason to hate him.

He would have to remedy that when all this was over. He would make her see that he was not her enemy. He dared to hope that, in time, she might even grow to love him. For now, he would content himself with staying away from her, where he could be of no further danger to her.

Jareth rotated the crystal across the back of his hand, turning its focus to Hoggle. The goblin had still not delivered his gift to Sarah, the Goblin King noted with irritation. He watched as Hoggle fell behind the group, lingering alongside the bog of stench, and pulled a perfect, ripe peach from his pocket. Nervously checking over his shoulder, he held the peach over the bog, looking as though he intended to drop it.

 _How dare he_. Drawing a bit of power into himself, Jareth directed his voice at Hoggle's image in the crystal.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" the King threatened. That coward would not destroy the one, kind thing he could do for the girl.

"I can't give it to her," the goblin said pitifully.

 _What, does he think it was poisoned?!_ Jareth didn't dignify the creature's plea with a response. Surely Hoggle could see that Sarah was growing weak. Even for someone with Sarah's power, she would never make it without food of some kind to help her recharge. And she was powerful. Even now, on the edge of the Bog of Stench, she bent the Labyrinth to her will, constantly managing to make her way closer to the castle despite the maze's own attempts to hinder her progress. Jareth suspected the magic she was drawing had helped sustain her pace through the maze, as she had barely stopped to rest since she began. She couldn't keep up that pace forever, though. And, if his suspicions about her using magic to keep up her energy were true, there would be a price to pay when she completed the Labyrinth.

Jareth sighed, setting the crystal aside, his stomach growling loudly. _Sarah isn't the only one who needs to eat something_ , he thought, standing and stretching as he did so. Pocketing the crystal, he made his way down to the kitchens, stopping briefly to check on Toby as he left. The child was sound asleep, worn out from his adventures in the goblin kingdom no doubt. As he descended from his tower room, Jareth wondered briefly if the babe would remember much of his time in the Underground when he returned to the Above.

Turning past the entrance to the throne room, Jareth descended a final set of stairs, taking him deep into the servant quarters beneath the castle. The smell of coriander and roasted lamb wafted up the stone staircase. He'd been so absorbed in Sarah's journey through the Labyrinth he'd barely touched his dinner, but now he felt ravenous. Warm light and a multitude of smells greeted him as he entered the kitchen. Given the lateness of the hour, most of the staff had gone to bed. The pastry staff, a small team of three goblin women, were still hard at work, preparing an assortment of baked treats for the next day. He watched one of the goblin women carefully layering slices of fresh peaches into a pie shell. Feeling his gaze upon her, she looked up startled.

"Oh-ah-yer Majesty!" she said dropping into a hurried curtsy, the other remaining staff following suit. "What can we do fer ya?"

"Do you have any of that lamb left over from dinner?" he asked.

"Oh, why, yes! Of course! I'll have it brought up to-"

"No need," he said, "I'm happy to eat down here." Truth be told, he was far too hungry to wait for food to be brought up to him. And the kitchen was a welcome distraction from his fixation on Sarah.

The pastry goblin wasted no time, and in a few short minutes, Jareth was looking eagerly at a steaming plate of roasted lamb, sautéed mushrooms, and mashed potatoes. She'd even prepared him a simple dessert consisting of a baked half of a peach, sprinkled with brown sugar. He helped himself without hesitation, giving his thanks to the goblin woman for her trouble. She curtseyed again, returning to her work.

As he finished polished off the last bite of lamb, Jareth heard a sudden crash. Jareth sprang from the small table and rushed to the pastry station, where he saw the goblin woman collapsed on the floor.

"Mergot!" one of the pasty chef's screamed, shaking her shoulders, "Mergot, wake up!". The goblin woman was unresponsive.

Jareth crouched to Mergot's side. She was breathing, but faintly. In her hand was a half-eaten slice of peach. Jareth grabbed a cloth, using it to pick the piece of fruit out of her spindly fingers and sniffed. Though the peach was, by all appearances, fresh, the fruit gave off a sickly sweet, almost rotten smell. _Reveicum, "the sleeping death_ ". He recognized the smell of the poison. In small doses the victim would be knocked unconscious, susceptible to mental attacks if the poisoner was magically trained. In large doses, however, reveicum was deadly, causing its victims to slip into a sleep from which they would never awaken.

"She's been poisoned, but she'll recover," he said to the two terrified pastry cooks, "get her in bed, but watch her, she may be sick when she wakes."

 _Who could have done this?_ Anyone could _add_ poison to a dish, but only a skilled arcanist could successfully create a poisoned raw ingredient. It had to be Mal Morcant. A sudden panic rose in his chest. If all the peaches had been poisoned... _Sarah!_

 _Please, gods, not her!_ He pulled the crystal out of his jacket pocket, summoning her image with his mind. The image focused just in time for him to watch her collapse to the forest floor.

"NO!"

He dashed back to the table, grabbing the half of grilled peach from his plate, a plan beginning to form in his mind. It was reckless, but he didn't have time for caution.

"Notify the city guards immediately, our Kingdom is under attack. I have no doubt this is Mal Morcant's doing. I must go for the protection of the realm, but in my absence, NO ONE is to leave or enter the City. This is an order from the Goblin King."

The goblins nodded their understanding, and Jareth dashed out the kitchen. He ran at a full sprint up the stairs to his tower room. Sarah didn't have much time. Even if she'd only taken a bite, memory loss was a common side effect of the poison. He couldn't risk losing her, not now, not when she was so close to defeating the Labyrinth.

He threw the door to his tower room open, barring it behind him. Mercifully, the babe still slept. There was not a moment to waste. He crossed to the window, drawing three crystals from a small, velvet-lined box where he kept his cache. He swirled them in his fingers, weaving magical strands together until he felt the weight of the crystals disappear, becoming effervescent and lighter than air. One by one he sent them out into the night, floating towards Sarah, where she slept.

 _There is much that could go wrong with this plan_ , Jareth thought, _but it's the best I've got_. Judging by the low dosage in the goblin woman, Morcant's goal was likely a mental assault, payback for ignoring his missives. With any luck, Sarah would latch onto one of the dreams he had sent her, which, being of Jareth's own creation, he could find while in a dream state, and help shield her from Morcant. Furthermore, since the crystals were magically linked to Jareth, they would also help to transport her body further through the Labyrinth, ensuring she had the best chance completing the task when she woke.

Jareth picked up the still-warm grilled peach. Dream realms were difficult to control, even with a strong grasp of magic. For the best chance of success, Jareth would need to poison himself as well. Not only would the drug keep him asleep long enough to accomplish his goals, it would also establish a link between himself and Sarah in the dream realm. He leaned back against the window and took a large bite of the peach. It tasted foul, as though it had been rotten for weeks and he fought the urge to gag as he swallowed.

He sighed, closing his eyes and let his consciousness ascend from his body, casting his mind out over the Labyrinth. He could feel a haziness settling over his thoughts and fought to focus on the iridescent crystals floating lazily in the distance. Inside one of the dream bubbles, he could see a glowing, lavender light, like an aura, pulsing softly. Without knowing how, he immediately recognized it as Sarah's consciousness, and allowed himself to descend through the shimmering membrane into a dream of his own design.


	11. Chapter 11

Jareth found himself in a crowded ballroom. In every corner of the room lavishly dressed people danced and laughed, as though they hadn't a care in the world. _Just how many goblins ate the peaches_ , he thought for a moment, before he realized that everyone around him was masked. _These people aren't real_. But where were they coming from? Jareth hadn't populated the dream, he'd only had time to weave the physical room before releasing his mind.

From across the room, he saw her. Sarah stood on the far end of the ballroom, dressed in an ethereal ballgown that, at first glance appeared to be pure white, but upon further inspection was every bit as colorful as the iridescence of a flora fairy's wing. Dressed so richly, she looked every bit the Queen Jareth hoped she would soon become. _Had her presence always commanded such nobility?_ Certainly she had grown much during her journey, but even with his feelings for her, Jareth had failed to see the Everywhere she looked, more masked people materialized, each more detailed and richly dressed than the last. Jareth was stunned by her _She likely doesn't realize she's creating them,_ he thought, as a pair of dancers materialized out of thin air.

Jareth walked towards her, entranced. She drew him like gravity. Damn his promises to stay away from her, he needed to be near her, to feel her in his arms. He was almost to her when she suddenly looked up at him with her bright green eyes. The loathing he'd remembered from her waking eyes was gone, replaced with awe, longing, and desire. Jareth was frozen to the spot, nearly paralyzed by the promise of her eyes. _Dreams often show us as we truly are,_ he thought _, could that mean she desires me as much as I do her?_ Just as he began to move towards her again, a pair of dancers cut between them, breaking the spell.

 _No, focus!_ He turned away, disappearing into the crowd. He was supposed to be keeping an eye out for Morcant. Those peaches were meant for him, not Sarah, and if it hadn't been for his foolishness she wouldn't be here. If he'd known Morcant would resort to this he would have taken the man's requests for a meeting more seriously. But, then again, when had Jareth the time to devote to external threats? It can't be helped now, he thought, as he searched the sea of masks for a third unmasked individual.

"A lovely venue for a meeting, Jareth." A male voice said behind him.

Jareth turned to find himself face to face with a man nearly as tall as Jareth, his long, silver hair a stark contrast to his dark black suit. Unlike Jareth's coat, which was richly adorned, this man's clothing was elegant in its simplicity.

"Please give my compliments to the hostess." The man said gesturing to Sarah. Despite his smile, his black eyes were pure ice.

"Mal Morcant, I presume," Jareth said with a slight nod, "we meet at last."

"Indeed," Morcant said, crossing to the balcony of the raised platform. Jareth followed. From this vantage, they had a clear view of the entire ballroom. Jareth instantly spotted Sarah as she ducked away from several overly-friendly masked people. He couldn't help but notice that the behavior of her dream guests was very goblin-like. _Interesting_.

"I was growing concerned you were ignoring my letters on purpose. Surely a man as smart as you would not be so careless with the safety of those under his protection," Morcant said, his eyes locking on Sarah.

"The girl is none of your concern," Jareth said.

"Oh, miss Williams and I are already acquainted."

At this, Jareth felt an icy chill in the pit of his stomach. _When had he met Sarah?_ Sarah's cry for help when he'd gone to deliver the peach to Hoggle jumped to the forefront of his mind. It was the only time he could recall leaving Sarah out of his gaze for long. _Damn him_.

"Are you now?" Jareth asked, fighting the urge to rip Morcant's still-beating heart from his chest. It would do no good to fight here. This was a dream realm, and, not being drugged, Morcant had the upper hand. Better to bide his time and find out Morcant's end game.

"It means little to me," Jareth said, feigning disinterest, "she is only a _human_ , after all."

"Lies are unbecoming, your Majesty," Morcant said, turning his cold stare to Jareth, "Tell me Jareth, how does it feel to see the woman you love look at you with such loathing. To know that she despises you."

 _She doesn't hate me_ , Jareth thought, _not completely, at least. There's still hope_. He felt the haze of the reveicum creeping over his mind, making it hard to concentrate. He was supposed to be drawing Morcant's attention away from Sarah. _Have to stay focused_.

"What do you want, Morcant?" Jareth asked. "You wished to speak with me, and here I am."

"What do I want?" Morcant asked, icily, circling Jareth as he spoke. "What I want is your destruction. I want you to suffer as I've suffered."

"What are you talking about?" Jareth asked, genuinely confused. To his knowledge, Jareth had never met Morcant. The warlord himself was a newcomer among the ruling class in the Underground. There was much speculation about his origins, but just where this man had come from and his intentions beyond territorial acquisition was the subject of much debate among the Seelie nobility. Jareth was unsettled by the fact that the man seemed to hold some unknown grudge against him.

Morcant laughed mirthlessly.

"Then it is true, you really have no idea?"

Jareth said nothing for a moment, taking in his adversary. Morcant's black eyes burned with the fire of righteous anger. There would be no negotiating with him, that much was certain. Whether Jareth truly was the cause of this man's wrath or not, Morcant believed wholeheartedly in his claims. _So, it is to be war then._

"Surely you didn't go to all this trouble just to issue petty threats," Jareth said, mockingly.

"No threats, only this promise," Morcant said, closing the distance between them until they were uncomfortably close, "I will take everything from you, Jareth. I will destroy everything you hold dear, the way you did to me, starting with her. The last thing you will hear in this world is her begging me to kill her, to end her torment. Only then will I be satisfied."

At the conclusion of his threat, Morcant backed away, the hint of cold smile playing upon his lips.

"Thank you for confirming my suspicions," Morcant said with an almost pleasant air, "It seems the Goblin King and his court have all truly forgotten the past." His form began to fade as he departed from the dream. He smiled one last cruel smile and pointed his finger at Sarah off in the far corner of the ballroom. "Tick, tock, your Majesty," he said, disappearing before Jareth's eyes.

 _Sarah_! Jareth rushed through the ballroom, searching for her. She'd been asleep far too long. He had to get her out before the side affects of the reveicum could kick in. He found her, at last, as he weaved between two masked women.

Sarah caught his gaze and approached him dreamily. She seemed caught in the same gravitational pull that he'd been under when he'd first seen her in the dream. He strode to meet her, sweeping her in his arms as he led her to the dance floor. _Sarah had clearly decided they were at a ball, based on the attire_ , he thought, _might as well make one part of Sarah's dream come true_.

He led her to the dance floor, where they glided like figures in a music box, matching each other step for step. _We could stay in this dream_ , Jareth thought, his mind growing cloudy. He pulled her closer to him, relishing in the feel of her pressed against him. Here, everything was as it should be, going back meant facing her disdain for him, her loathing. _Why invite pain when sleep was so much simpler?_

He shook his head to clear the haze of reveicum. _Stay focused_!

"You need to wake up, Sarah" he said.

Her brow furrowed, as though she couldn't quite make out what he was saying.

"You're asleep," he tried again, "you can't stay here. Toby is waiting for you."

Again, she seemed unable to understand what he was saying. Looking closely at her eyes, Jareth saw that they were beginning to glaze over.

 _No_! _I will not lose you_!

He directed his thoughts toward one singular image, the clock, and willed with all his might for it to materialize. The threads of power here were more erratic, never staying put long enough to cohesively weave together. As he worked, he admired Sarah even more for her seemingly effortless mastery of dream-weaving. He struggled to maintain command of the magic, knitting together the image until suddenly-

Dong!

The clock rang out urgently, the chime reverberating through Jareth's body. Sarah's eyes brightened.

Dong!

She looked at him, a question in her gaze. Jareth smiled at the clarity in her eyes. Once again he could see the gears turning in her mind. She was waking.

Dong!

Her look shifted to one of fear, and she shoved him away, running to the edge of the ballroom. Though he knew he had to let her go, he reached for her, not knowing when or if he would feel her in his arms again. He watched as she grabbed a chair and threw it against the wall where it shattered like glass.

A roaring, rushing sound deafened Jareth. He felt a blast of cool wind on his face and squinted his eyes against a bright light that-

Jareth gasped, suddenly waking in his tower room. His neck and shoulders were stiff from where he'd fallen asleep on the window ledge. He could still taste the rotten flavor of reveicum in his mouth and quickly grabbed an empty bin, forcing himself to vomit. The black bile that came up confirmed that he'd retained some poison in his system upon waking. He couldn't afford to fight with the haziness of the poison, even if waiting out the drug was a more pleasant option. His hands shook as he expelled the last of the poison from his stomach.

Rinsing his mouth with water, he sighed, leaning back in the nook of the window ledge. With weary eyes, he looked out over the Labyrinth, pre-dawn light casting a rosy glow over its twisting walls. He hoped he'd gotten Sarah out in time, and that, wherever the crystal had carried her while she slept, she was close to him.


	12. Chapter 12

Without anywhere else to go, Hoggle returned to the goblin city. When he arrived, the guards were in the process of closing the massive gates, locking the residents safely inside for the night. The city itself was buzzing with news of treachery, impending war, and some even speculating that the Goblin King had died. Hoggle, however, knew better. From his vantage point on the city walls, he had seen Jareth's crystals floating in the distance, disappearing over the city's massive junk yard just before dawn. Now, he waited, a lone sentry keeping watch for the friends he didn't deserve.

He couldn't hope for their forgiveness, even if he did try to help them. Thus far his plan was to aid them anonymously. As soon as they came into view he would tie off one end of a length of rope he'd purchased in town to the stone walls and throw the end over for them to climb. Though it was hardly enough to make up for his complicity in Jareth's schemes, it would lessen his guilt.

The early morning fog was still thick when he finally saw their familiar shapes emerge, Sir Didymus leading the way as usual. Hoggle crept quietly towards his anchor point, a metal torch bracket bolted securely to the stone, when he suddenly heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

"…no one gets in, no one gets out, Jareth's orders," a goblin voice said as the footsteps grew closer.

Hoggle ducked behind a cannon. It appeared the two guards he'd seen sleeping against a section of wall earlier had been replaced by two fresh, well rested ones. _Curse my rotten luck!_

"But why's everyone sleepin' if we's supposed to be watchin' the wall fer an army?" a second voice asked.

"Well, we've got the steel sentries on watch don't we? Any army, intruder, or fool stupid enough to come knockin' at the gates, they gonna have to deal with them first, ain't they!"

Hoggle's heart froze, his breath catching in his chest. The steel sentries were giant, mechanical guardians of the goblin city. Normally they stood quietly, disarmed and harmless, but once activated, they were said to cut down armies in one sweep of their great axes. In the lingering darkness, he chanced a look over the side of the wall to see the sentry stir to life while Sarah and the others backs were turned.

 _They don't know_! He watched the giant metal warrior take one step towards the group before Hoggle felt it, that same compulsion that drove him to enter the Labyrinth, driving his feet to run. _Protect Sarah, keep her safe at all costs_. It was a desire stronger than anything he'd ever felt, stronger than his cowardice or fear. He had no choice. With a cry, he leapt from the city walls and onto the back of the steel sentry.

The great metal giant lurched, attempting to throw Hoggle from its body, but he held firm to its horned helmet. As he looked closer, he thought he could see a light coming from a seam at the giant's neck. _Someone is piloting this thing_ , he realized. With an adrenaline-fueled burst of strength, Hoggle ripped the helmet from the sentry's body.

Sure enough, inside the small, one-goblin cockpit was the driver. He looked up at Hoggle, then down at Sarah, directing a swing of his ax right at her head. Hoggle's vision went red. He ripped the goblin out of the cockpit and threw him from the sentry.

"My turn now!" Hoggle said triumphantly, lowering himself into the cockpit, "how do you drive this thing?"

Without touching anything, the giant metal creature took another great swing in the direction of his friends. The machine seemed to have some sort of failsafe, to keep fighting even if the pilot had been compromised. _Curse me for a fool!_ Though he hadn't the faintest idea how to stop it, he had to try. Hoggle fiddled with the dials, nearly taking out Ludo's horns as the machine continued to swing erratically.

"Drop the ax!" Sarah yelled, deftly dodging another attack by the sentry.

"I'm trying," he shouted, mashing every button at once.

Sparks flew from the keyboard, singing Hoggle's fingers. Smoke began to issue from the control panel, and the movements of the sentry began to slow. _I may not be able to control it_ , he thought, _but I might be able to short circuit the darn thing_! Testing his plan, he mashed every button, pulled every lever, and turned every dial he could get his hands on. The sparks grew worse, and Hoggle fought to keep from choking on the smoke. Finally, he felt the machine shudder, the dials going dark as it locked down in mid swing.

"Hoggle, get out of there!" Sarah called.

He was happy to oblige. In the dense smoke, he could no longer make out her form. Quickly, he pulled himself up out of the cockpit until he stood on the giant's steel shoulders once again. The sentry groaned and tipped, unstable now that its circuits had been overrun.

"Abandon ship!" he yelled, and jumped.

He hit the ground hard, knocking the air from his lungs. Looking behind him, he confirmed that the sentry was defeated. It stood frozen, smoke still billowing from its cockpit.

"Oh Hoggle, are you alright?" Sarah said, running to his side. The concern in her eyes made his heart ache, the familiar feeling of guilt overpowering him.

"I'm not asking to be forgiven," he said hurriedly, "I ain't ashamed of myself."

_Liar. You're more ashamed than you can bear to admit._

"Jareth made me give you that peach," he continued, "I don't care what you think. I told you I was a coward an I-I ain't interested in being friends!"

Hoggle looked at the ground, unable to meet the eyes of the woman he'd betrayed.

"I forgive you, Hoggle"

Hoggle looked up, surprised. In her peridot green eyes, he saw nothing but compassion.

"Y-you do?" he asked. _She should hate me for what I did. They all should_. He waited anxiously for one of them to condemn him, to call him traitor, coward, or scum, but not one of them did.

"And I commend you," Sir Didymus exclaimed, "rarely have I seen such courage! You are valiant, Sir Hoggle."

"uh…I am?" Hoggle hardly felt brave, but he swelled nonetheless at Didymus' praise. _Sir Hoggle_. Not the most eloquent name for a knight, but he did like the sound of it. Of course, if he truly were a knight, he'd wish for a few more changes besides his name. He'd be taller, more attractive, a man who could sweep a woman like Sarah off her feet. He'd take on a thousand steel sentries if he could make that dream come true.

"Ugggh," Ludo groaned in a gravely voice, "Hoggle and Ludo, _friends_."

The simple statement was high praise coming from the rock-calling beast. Hoggle stammered a response before a familiar clinking sound distracted him. Turning, he saw Sarah holding his small pouch of "jewels" in her outstretched hand. Once, they'd been her leverage over him, buying his help through the maze. Now, however, he knew he'd follow her to the ends of the earth, through the gates of hell itself if it meant being by her side.

"Here are your things, Hoggle," she said, "thanks for your help."

Though he was glad to have them back, somehow the stones seemed less important than they used to. Their luster dulled in comparison to the renewed bond of friendship and trust between the four of them.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" he asked enthusiastically, "let's get that rat who calls himself Jareth!"

 _Jareth had better watch out_ , Hoggle thought, as they turned to enter the now unprotected city gates, stepping forth into the final threshold.

* * *

Sarah sprinted the final stretch to the castle gates, which, miraculously, had been left open. The city had been ready for them, armed and awaiting their arrival. It had been all they could do to fight their way through the ranks of city guards, soldiers, and militant townspeople to get to the castle at the Labyrinth's heart. If it hadn't been for Ludo's rock friends, she never would have made it through. As it was, she knew there was little time, if any, left. _Such a large force for one girl and her three companions_. Jareth was following the book's plot to the letter.

In fact, if she thought long about it, it seemed odd how closely her journey mirrored that of the heroine in her favorite book. Almost as though it were _too_ convenient. She still couldn't shake the feeling that there was something she was missing, some detail in his behavior she'd overlooked. He played the villain well enough, but something in his eyes threw her, as though there was some unspoken truth he was desperate to share with her, but could never quite get it past his lips.

No time for that now, she thought, as the four of them broke through a small wooden door and ran up through what appeared to be the castle's kitchens. As they reached the top of the stairs however, Sarah felt a strange pulsing in her veins. She slowed, looking down a dizzying hall of stairs that wove in almost nonsensical patterns. Somehow, she knew Jareth was there, waiting for her.

"He must have gone that way," she said, voicing her thoughts aloud.

"Well, then, come on!" Hoggle shouted, charging towards the room of stairs with his newfound bravery.

Something was wrong. Sarah felt the pulsing grow stronger, the hair on her arms raising from some unknown force.

 _This path can only be traveled by you alone_ , an ancient voice seemed to call out from the very blood in her veins. Her fingers tingled with a dense prickling feeling not unlike the sensation of feeling returning after your hand falls asleep.

"I must face him alone." She said with certainty.

"Why?" Didymus asked, concern etched on his face. Hoggle, too, seemed pained at her declaration.

"That's the way it's done," she said, unable to provide a clearer explanation. How could she explain what was happening to her? How could she tell them that something deep and ancient commanded her to go alone, and that she knew she was bound by that ancient force to follow.

As if to prove she was on the right path, her senses began to sharpen. She could see with more clarity than ever before. Every twisting grainline in the stone walls seemed like a miniscule work of art, filled with new color and detail. Her hearing was also magnified, she could hear Didymus's rapid heartbeat, Hoggle's teeth grinding, and the constant rumble in Ludo's chest as he breathed. _Something is preparing me for the confrontation to come._

"If that's the way it's done, then that's the way you must do it," Didymus said. Sarah was grateful for the self-proclaimed knight's simple acceptance of her inadequate answer.

"But," he added, "should you need us…"

"Yeah," Hoggle chimed in, "should you need us…"

"I'll call," she assured them. "Thank you, all of you."

It wasn't exactly a goodbye, but something told her this was not the end of her journey. Not yet. She watched them go with a heavy heart, Hoggle most of all. They'd grown so close on her journey, she hated to see the hurt in his eyes when she told him to go, but it couldn't be helped. She turned, steeling herself for the final test. _This is it_ , she thought, before dashing into the room.

"Toby!" Sarah yelled as she rushed into the hall of stairs.

 _Hang on_ , she thought, _I'm coming_ …

* * *

Jareth had hoped the game would be over the moment Sarah entered the castle, but to his annoyance, it seemed there was one final task the Labyrinth required of its would-be champion before claiming her as Regent. Worse, Jareth was forced, yet again, to act as its pawn. He felt, stronger than ever, the pulse of magic flowing through him. It drew him to Sarah, making him nauseous every time he tried to fight it until, finally, he surrendered to its pull, allowing himself to be a passenger in his own body.

Why? Why hadn't the Labyrinth claimed her? She'd completed the task in even less time than the other runners. It didn't make sense. What more did the Labyrinth want from her?

He watched, helpless, as Sarah jumped from one of the infinite staircases, unable to stop her. He saw the child disappear through the cracks of the world, and he could only hope that meant he'd been returned to the Above. He felt the world ripple as time and space reordered themselves, and found himself face to face with a livid Sarah. In the fracturing fragments of his castle, she appeared like an avenging angel, her dark hair catching in the wind. Just like in the dream realm, a soft lavender light appeared around her like an aura, slightly pulsing, indicative of her inherent magical power. This was not the same pleading young girl who'd entered the maze only hours before. This was an enchantress.

"Give me the child," she demanded, the threat apparent in her voice.

Jareth recognized the line. She'd said the same thing when he'd first seen her, in a dream of a crisp fall afternoon. The hair on the back of Jareth's neck rose as he felt the prickling touch of her magic. And, suddenly, it hit him. It was her. Her magic had influenced the Labyrinth, it was her magic combined with the Labyrinth's will that had compelled him to fight her, to nearly kill her, while she acted out her little fantasy. Anger swelled within Jareth. Didn't she realize how desperate their situation was? The fate of his Kingdom rested on her, and yet, somewhere deep down, she'd been playing pretend?

"Sarah, Beware," he warned.

 _After everything I've done to protect her!_ He knew the thought was irrational, of course she had no idea how hard he'd fought on her behalf, but she was trying his patience. He'd eaten poison for her, the least she could do was show him some _fucking gratitude_! Regent or not, he refused to follow her script. He was through playing the Evil King.

"I have been generous up until now, but I can be cruel," he said, a wicked smile spreading over his face as an image of her over his knee for her insolence popped into his mind. The thought appealed to him more than he cared to admit.

"Generous!" she scoffed, "What have you done that's generous?"

"Everything!" He spat. _How dare she_. Jareth was done playing. He was done protecting her from afar, done pandering to the whims of magical forces and the daydreams of young girls.

"Everything that you wanted, I have done. You asked that the child be taken, I took him," _unwillingly_ , he might add, "You cowered before me, I was frightening. I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside-down, and I have done it all for you! I am exhausted of living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous?"

 _Idiot_ , Jareth thought the moment the words left his lips _. Losing my temper with her only serves to alienate her further_. He needed to trust him when all this was over, and thus far he wasn't doing a great job of building that.

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city," Sarah recited, almost trancelike.

Jareth's heart sank. He knew what the next few lines held, what they meant for him. _She's going to refuse the Regency_ , he realized, stunned. He'd never considered that she would be able to refuse the power. This changed everything.

"For my will is as strong as yours," She continued, "and my-"

"STOP! WAIT!" Jareth cried. He pulled a crystal from his cloak. It was a desperate move, but he had to try. "Look, Sarah," He said summoning the image of the two of them dancing at the ball in the dream realm. _Please, remember how you felt then. Please trust me_.

"Look what I'm offering you," he continued, "your dreams."

"And my Kingdom as great-" She continued.

"I ask for so little. Just let me rule you, and you can have everything," he vowed. There was nothing he wouldn't give to the woman who could save his people, his Kingdom from ruin.

"Damn!" She swore, "I can never remember that line!"

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave," he was begging, but he didn't care. She was the Regent, that much was clear, but she stood on a precipice with the power to ruin everything. He needed her to save his Kingdom, and if that meant he had beg, bribe or keep her by force he would.

"My Kingdom as great…" her voice was nearly a whisper.

Suddenly, she looked up, green eyes blazing with bright emerald fire. The wind whipped around them and Jareth felt the air suddenly sucked from his lungs. The lavender light surrounding her grew more distinct, and all around them Jareth felt an electric charge in the air. _She's claiming the power of the Labyrinth_ , he realized, _even as she denies it, she's accepting the Regency_.

"You have no power over me!" Her voice resounded in the void-like space. Power rolled off her in warm waves of light so bright, Jareth was nearly blinded by the sight of her.

For a moment, time and space ceased to exist. All around him the world fell down.


	13. Chapter 13

Sarah opened her eyes to find the familiar sights of her bedroom. _Did I fall asleep?_ No, it seemed far too real to be a dream. Yet, here she was, in her room as though she'd never left. It comforted her a bit to know that none of it had been real, that no Goblin King was going to come looking to kill her, but it also saddened her to return to reality. In that world she'd been important, she'd made deep friendships and faced dangers, but here she was just an afterthought.

For a moment, she grew suspicious. _What if I'm not really here? What if I'm back in the junkyard_? She knocked on her walls, looking for anything out of the ordinary, weak spots or tears in the wallpaper that would reveal the bleak trash heap where she'd briefly lost her memory. No such weakness revealed itself. The walls, for all intents and purposes, appeared solid, and when she knocked no piles of trash tore through the wallpaper.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she grabbed Lancelot, her favorite teddy bear down from the shelf and hugged him tight. His plush, well-loved body gave her just the right amount of solace. She was happy to be home, wasn't she? No matter how hard she held the bear, she couldn't shake the feeling of loss that threatened to draw tears from her eyes.

 _Toby_. She had to know he was ok. She rushed from her bedroom, still holding the bear, and dashed to the crib in her parent's room down the hall. There, sound asleep, was her baby brother. She sighed, tucking her favorite teddy bear, Lancelot, into bed with him.

"I want Lancelot to belong to you now," she said, stroking his cheek. _Take care of him_.

She returned to her room and sat on the bed, trying hard not to cry. The feeling of loss was overwhelming. Somehow, deep down, she knew she belonged in that other world. She could feel it pulling her, calling to her. Anxious, she stood and paced back and forth. She needed something to do, something to distract from the prickling in her fingers and the pulsing in her veins.

 _Well_ , she thought, _if I have to live in this world, then it's time to put away childish things_. She went to her vanity table and started to cull her dolls, newspaper clippings, pictures, and even her favorite book. Daydreams wouldn't serve her in this world, and she couldn't live torn between the two. She would get a job, join a club, be a _norma_ l teenager.

As she threw away the things that were once precious to her, she thought of Ludo, Didymus, and most of all, Hoggle. They'd seemed so real. Even as she worked, she swore she could almost hear their voices. In some ways, moving on felt like a betrayal. She hadn't even said a proper goodbye to them. Hoggle would have the hardest time of it. Their friendship ran deeper than the others. Would he wait outside the castle for her, wondering what happened to her and never knowing that she'd returned?

 _They're not real_ , she told herself. _Let it go_.

"I need you Hoggle. I don't know why, but…"she trailed off, unsure of how to properly phrase what was in her heart, "every now and then in my life, for no reason at all…I-I need all of you."

"Oh, you do?" Hoggle asked, "Well, why didn't you say so?"

Sarah turned and, to her amazement, her bedroom was filled with the creatures she'd encountered. She ran to Hoggle, hugging him nearly as tight as she had Lancelot. Sir Didymus and Ludo also rushed to her side, and she greeted each of them enthusiastically. For a moment she was ecstatic, celebrating with the friends she'd made in that strange other world. But the moment passed, and a strange, suspicious feeling knotted the pit of her stomach. _This isn't right_ , she thought, _goblins don't belong in the real world_.

"Hoggle," she asked, pulling the goblin aside from the group, "how did you get here?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean how are you here, right now, in my world." The Labyrinth she could live with, reality she could cope with, but the mixing of the two didn't fit.

"I don't understand," Hoggle said, furrowing his brow, "You called me here. This is your dream, after all."

 _Dream_? _No, that…that couldn't be possible_.

"What are you saying Hoggle? Am I still asleep? Am I still in the Labyrinth?"

Hoggle just smiled at her and turned as if to rejoin the party.

"Hoggle? Please, I need to know!"

"It's time to wake up, Sarah," Hoggle said, but when he spoke, it wasn't his voice that she heard. It was Jareth's, the Goblin King.

* * *

Sarah gasped as she suddenly woke. She was in an enormous bed, much larger than her twin at home. Her head rested on pillows covered in the softest, silkiest material she'd ever felt, and covering her was an enormous comforter of midnight blue with beautiful silver embroidery.

This was not her room. She sat up, her body aching and stiff. Funny, she hadn't felt sore at all when she'd been home. That should have been my first clue I was dreaming. She looked around her new surroundings. The vast room was circular with stone walls. A great, curved bookcase stretched from the window ledge to an ornate fireplace, where only a few embers still smoldered. If she had to guess, she'd say she was in one of the castle's towers.

But this was no mere guest room. The papers and open books on the table at the far end of the room suggested that this was somebody's personal quarters. Another quick glance through the room revealed its owner. Sarah could hardly believe she hadn't noticed him the moment she woke. Sleeping in a plush chair at her bedside, was a very disheveled Goblin King.

 _No_! Sarah sat there in shock, watching as he began to stir, finally opening his eyes. He looked as though he hadn't been sleeping for days. His hair was even more unruly than usual, and beneath his eyes were deep, dark circles. He looked at her, his eyes widening in surprise, followed by an expression deep relief and overwhelming joy.

"Sarah. Thank the gods!" He leapt from the chair, sweeping her up in a tight embrace.

Sarah's heart raced. None of this made sense. He was happy she was alive? Why? He'd threatened her, he'd tried to kill her. She squirmed in his embrace. The only reason he could be happy to find her alive was to inflict more torment upon her. She struggled to break free in earnest now.

"No-please, stop-GET OFF ME!" She shoved him hard and he retreated, looking as though she'd slapped him across the face rather than merely push him off her.

"Ah-forgive me, it's just-I've been very worried about you." He said, "I should have realized this would come as a shock to you."

Sarah sat dumbfounded. This wasn't the Jareth she knew, the one who'd worked so hard to defeat her. _What was going on?_

"I owe you another apology, Sarah," he continued, "I…lost my patience with you when last we met. There were circumstances at play that you are still unaware of and…well, I should have known better."

"You tried to kill me," Sarah said, suddenly finding her voice.

"Yes, that-again circumstances being what they were-and you were partly responsible for my actions during your run-"

"Oh, so it's my fault you sent the cleaners after me?" She was shaking as she spoke, anger making her blood boil. How dare he try to turn this around on her!

"No-that's not what I meant," he ran his hands through his blonde and blue hair, "I can explain-"

"How can I believe anything you tell me?"

"Well, let me put it this way, what choice do you have?" he said, frustration etched on his face. He took a deep breath and continued. "Please do not interrupt me again Sarah. I know you don't trust me now, but you will. I've spent three days at your side, watching over you while you slept comatose. I have a right and a duty to fill you in on the state of affairs in the Kingdom and your role in all of this."

 _Three days? I've slept for three days?_ A thought suddenly occurred to her, bringing a blush to her cheeks. Looking down, she confirmed that her clothes had been changed. She wore a gauzy, silk nightgown of pure white. She also appeared to have been bathed, her hair washed and plaited in a long braid that rested over her shoulder.

"Sarah? Are you still with me?" Jareth asked. She'd completely missed the fact that he'd been talking to her the whole time.

"Um-did you…" she asked, indicating her clothes. She couldn't bring herself to ask the question directly.

"Yes," He said simply. Sarah blushed hard, looking down at her hands. She had one more pressing question, but again she struggled to ask him.

"And-you didn't…I mean-"

"Didn't _what_ Sarah?" he asked, cupping her chin in his hand to make her meet his gaze, "have sex with you?" He sighed, dropping his hand from her face and massaged his temple. "Sarah, not that I don't find you attractive, but if I ever have sex with you it will be because you beg me for it, not until then. Now, may we please get back to the matter at hand?"

She nodded, pulling the sheet a little higher over her body.

"I suppose I'll need to go all the way back to the beginning."

He crossed to the plush chair and sat sprawled, kicking his legs over one arm.

"The first thing you need to know is that you are not an ordinary girl, Sarah. You defeated the Labyrinth and claimed its power. In this world, that makes you Queen. My Kingdom has three governing bodies; myself, a hereditary King; you, a Regent chosen by the magic of our Kingdom's touchstone; and the Order of the Saarah, Seelie Arcanists and Armsmen, the Realm's Avowed Heroes, which as best as I can figure are defenders of the realm and councilors."

"You figure? You mean, you don't know?" Sarah asked. It seemed strange that the King was uncertain of how his own government functioned.

"Please Sarah," he said, cutting off her questions, "I'm getting there. The Order of the Saarah and Regent disappeared some time ago. I wish I could say when, but I am missing portions of my memory. I am not even certain if they disappeared during my reign or not. Either way, it doesn't matter. What matters is that they did and, for a time, magic was stable in the realm. Lately, however, the magic has been erratic, not responding the same way to commands. Furthermore, it appears to be failing. I'm sure you recall the crumbling outer walls of the Labyrinth?"

She nodded.

"That isn't supposed to happen. There are more dire consequences, however, crop failures, earthquakes and the like. This Kingdom is sustained by magic. Restoring the balance is critical or my people will die. Fortunately, the members of the Order have returned one-by-one, the most recent being you. The three powers helped shoulder the burden of the Labyrinth's magical power, regulating it. I have done the best I can, but I do not share the same level of connection you and the Saarah have to the Labyrinth's power."

"What do you mean?" she asked, "I mean, you're the King, aren't you?'

"Yes, but…well…how do I explain it," he said, steepling his fingers beneath his chin. "Think of it this way: if magic is water, then the Labyrinth is a never-ending natural spring. When you claimed the Labyrinth's power, you "tapped" the spring, causing it to surge forth over and through you. I imagine you still feel its weight pressing on you."

She nodded. She did feel something akin to a heaviness, like an invisible person sitting on her shoulders. She'd dismissed it as mere exhaustion, but now that she focused on it she could feel it pulsing, pressing in on her.

"Uncomfortable, I know, though I must thank you. The magic is significantly less volatile now that you're here," he said with a tired smile. "The Saarah also share this direct link with the Labyrinth's power. Back to our example of spring water, if you add more "taps" to the spring, the water will continue to flow, but it won't overwhelm or gush forth from any single one, make sense?"

"Mm-hm"

"The difference between myself and the Saarah is this: you were all chosen by the Labyrinth's magic itself. I am merely a very powerful magical being. If I travel too far from the Labyrinth I can no longer draw on its power. Now, I could use any touchstone, any magical source, in the Underground, but you and the Saarah draw your power from the Labyrinth no matter how far from the source you travel. You are bound to it, and your fates are now tied."

Sarah allowed this to sink in for a moment.

"So…if I'm tied to the Labyrinth, but its magic is failing…" she shuddered. _Am I going to die here_?

Jareth sighed and reached forward to take her hand, but, reflexively, she withdrew. A pained expression crossed his face.

"I wish I could tell you everything will be alright, Sarah," he said solemnly, "but I don't want to make a promise to you I can't keep."

They sat in silence for a moment, each regarding the other. Something still nagged at Sarah, though it took her a moment to remember exactly what.

"Jareth," she said slowly, "if you knew all of this before, then why didn't you help me? Why didn't you tell me any of this when I first came here?"

Jareth stood and crossed to the foot of her bed, where he began to pace.

"I know you won't believe me, but I did try. The Labyrinth's magic is very powerful, powerful enough to control a King. You actually helped shape my actions-

"I didn't do-"

"Yes you did. Subconsciously, but you did. You created the role you wished me to play, the villain from your stories, and since it was conveniently adversarial, the Labyrinth obliged. You shaped that journey in other ways, too. When you are well enough I invite you to look out the window and tell me if you think that maze can be solved in thirteen hours without the use of magic." He stopped pacing and turned to face her, his blue eyes piercing, "I fought _very_ hard to protect you, Sarah, even while being forced to be a monster."

She could see that he believed what he was telling her. Although, it didn't mean she trusted him. Not yet. She decided to drop the subject for now. It was no use pouring over his actions when she wasn't likely to get an unbiased answer from him. If he really was telling the truth, she would find a way to prove it. Only then would she trust him.

"So where are the rest of the Saarah now?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said, returning to his chair.

"What do you mean, you don't know? You said they were here!"

Not all of them, but most of them. You were the twelfth runner. All the texts on the Saarah agree that there were thirteen, twelve Saarah plus the Regent. The other eleven are here, somewhere. After each runner, each attempt at the Labyrinth my memory, and I imagine the Kingdom's memories reset. You were the first to complete the Labyrinth, so my memories of your run are intact, but the rest, he gestured to the stack of papers on his desk, I've had to rely on my notes. I suspect that the experience changed them, that they were changed into goblins or other creatures, as a human walking around the Labyrinth would certainly have drawn attention. But, again, I can't be sure."

"How can you be certain of anything if your memory resets? What if I'm not the twelfth runner?"

He rolled up his sleeve to show her eleven silver scars, small parallel lines marring the flesh of his bicep.

"Not all notes are written in ink," he said simply, unrolling his sleeve to hide the marks once again.

Sarah was starting to feel overwhelmed. It was all too much to process. She buried her head in her hands, fighting back tears. She couldn't let him see her cry. She couldn't give him that kind of power over her.

"I didn't ask to be Queen. I didn't wish for any of this!"

"I know," he said, moving to sit at the edge of the bed. "Believe me, I know. But you did take the power even as you refused it with your words. For your sake, I wish it could be otherwise, but those chosen to rule are bound by their duty, particularly in this realm. It cannot be undone, Sarah." He paused, his eyes searching her for some kind of response.

 _If he'd intended to be comforting he fell well short of the mark_ , Sarah thought. _But at least he was trying to be honest_. He could have lied and said being the unwilling Queen of a magical kingdom is nothing but unicorns and rainbows, but he didn't. And somehow, thought it didn't comfort her the way she wanted, that thought made her feel a bit better.

"But I did mean what I said," Jareth continued, "…at the end. For the safety of my Kingdom, I will give you anything. I will do what I can to make this easy for you. I will give you all your heart's desires and more, anything you want, if you will help me."

If he'd asked her five days ago what she wanted the list would have been extensive. Now, however, there was only one thing she desired, more than anything in the world.

"I want to go home," she said, her eyes pleading with him.

His face fell, and Sarah knew his answer before he said it.

"I cannot give you that, Sarah. And even if I could, I wouldn't. I have waited a long time for you to arrive, and I cannot risk the safety of my people, not even for your sake. You cannot ever go home."

Sarah clenched her jaw, body shaking as she fought to stave off the tears that threatened to pour down her cheeks any minute.

"Then I want you to leave me alone."

"I understand you need some time," he said, standing and crossing to the door, "I'll give you some space, but I will not wait forever. I apologize if that seems cruel, but it cannot be helped."

He opened the door and stepped one foot outside, pausing briefly before turning back to look at her.

"I am not your enemy, Sarah. In time, you'll see."

With that, he left, closing the door behind him. She heard the lock click and realized that he'd locked her inside. Immediately she began to cry. She'd been a stupid girl, dreaming of adventures and wishing desperately to be anything but normal. She should have known better. How often had she read books where wishes had dire consequences?

And Jareth. Though he seemed sincere, how could she be sure? This version of him was so different from the Goblin King she'd met on her journey through the Labyrinth, and yet somewhat familiar. She recalled the fragments of the dream she had of him during her journey. It was hazy, but in the ballroom from her dream he'd seemed…different…like he cared about her. A part of her wanted to believe him, to trust him, but another, more wary part of her continued to fear him. She looked at the locked door, drying her eyes on the corner of the comforter. Jareth could say what he wanted, for now she was a prisoner here.


	14. Chapter 14

Jareth exited the castle in fading twilight, pulling the hood of his cloak over his face. Not that he was any less conspicuous, being considerably taller than the average goblin, but he preferred to avoid causing a commotion if he could help it. Truth be told, he would have preferred to fly, but the sight of an owl in the heart of the goblin city was far too unusual to pass unnoticed. Thus it was that, as the stars began to overtake the sky, the King set about his mission.

In the two days since Sarah had awoken the Kingdom continued to suffer. Earthquakes had destroyed the crop of one of the largest farms inside the maze, while on the border, his spies reported a series of livestock threats and crop burnings. These happenings on the border troubled Jareth the most, as they were certainly the handiwork of Mal Morcant. As a result of the food shortages, Jareth had been forced to plunge the Kingdom into mandatory rationing of food.

 _Half of these problems could be solved if the Queen would do her job_ , he thought, frustrated. In the same span of time, Sarah had grown despondent. She barely ate, and in the few times he'd seen her out of bed, she'd looked so frail he feared she might blow away on the wind. He'd tried more than once to talk to her, but she had no interest in what he had to say. When he did try to broach the subject of her role as Queen, her eyes glazed, and she retreated into some unreachable place in her mind. To date, she remained blissfully unaware of the state of _their_ kingdom, and as for Mal Morcant, Jareth hadn't even bothered to tell her about that particular problem.

It drove him mad. When she checked out he wanted to shake her, wanted to delve into her mind and drag her out of her dark thoughts. He could keep her locked away, he could force her to eat, but he couldn't force her to care about the realm, or even living. Once again, he was powerless to help her.

 _Not this time_ , he assured himself. He would do whatever it took to bring her back to life. He didn't care if she hated him for it. He'd waited long enough. It was time for her to grow up and accept her responsibilities.

Which was why he now roamed the winding streets of the goblin city, searching for the one person that might be able to get through to her. _Hoggle_. She trusted the goblin, and perhaps he could succeed where Jareth had failed. The thought of asking for the help of a coward who'd endangered Sarah more than once put a foul taste in his mouth, yet he had to try. She needed an ally, and, loathe as he was to admit it, she did not view him with anything but suspicion.

He rounded a corner until he found the place his informant had told him about. _The Laughing Giant Inn,_ a wooden sign above the door read. He looked in the window at the cozy establishment. Three large, polished wood tables took up the center of the room, with goblins seated in groups on the accompanying wooden benches drinking and toasting each other. A roaring fire blazed in the hearth, warming the room from the night's chill breeze. On either side of the hearth were two private alcoves, places where those that preferred quiet, or those that preferred not to be found. Sure enough, tucked back into an alcove, and apparently well into his cups, was Hoggle.

Jareth swore. He did not have time to babysit a drunk dwarf. Already he doubted the success rate of this plan, but it was the last option he had down the path of kindness before that road was closed to him. _No turning back now_. He took a deep breath and pulled a bit of power. With Sarah helping to stabilize the power it took considerably less effort, but even still he found the threads to be erratic, shifting, and difficult as he drew them into himself. Feeling the buzzing of magic coursing through him, he focused on his destination, the empty chair next to Hoggle, and allowed himself to fade away from his place outside the inn.

He reappeared in a shower of glitter, exactly in his intended location. _Never underestimate the value of a dramatic entrance_ , he thought. Hoggle yelled in surprise, knocking over his beer. Jareth checked to ensure his privacy spell had worked and smiled to see that not a single goblin had noticed Hoggle's outcry. They would be perfectly undisturbed here.

"Come now Hoggle, you're not displeased to see me, are you?"

"It's Hog-oh…uh…nevermind," Hoggle said, uncomfortably as he tried to mop up the beer splattered table with a grubby handkerchief. "What do you want?"

"Now, is that any way to address your King?" Jareth said, unable to resist goading the goblin. "'What can I do for you, your Majesty?' or 'How might I serve you, my liege?' will suffice nicely."

"Fat chance, your _Majesty_ ," he replied, his tone lace with sarcasm.

" _Tisk_. You'll have to do better than that if you have any interest in seeing miss Sarah again."

"Sarah?" he asked, eyes brightening. "I knew it! I knew she was too tough to be beaten by the likes of you!" Then his expression darkened, deep lines etching his forehead in a concerned expression. "What'd you do with her?"

Jareth sighed. They'd come to the part he'd been dreading faster than he'd anticipated. He had no idea how Hoggle would take the news of Sarah's depression, but, based on the creature's expression, it wouldn't be pleasant.

"She is alive, and well cared for," he began, choosing his words carefully, "but she is not well. I-"

"You RAT!" Hoggle said venomously, spitting on the floor at Jareth's feet. "You better tell me right now what you did-"

"What _I_ did?" Jareth said, standing, his voice pure ice, "What _I_ did was watch over her while she was in a coma for three days. What _I_ did was use every tool at my disposal to nurse her back to health after her ordeal. What _I_ did, and continue to do, is attempt to bring her spirit back as she spirals into a depression that I can't save her from. Now I've come to you for help, you ungrateful wretch, so mind you _watch your tone_!"

Jareth seethed in rage, still looming over Hoggle. He knew Hoggle must dislike him nearly as much as he did Hoggle, but spitting at his feet was a step too far. For his part, the goblin wore a stunned, fearful expression, his hands fidgeting nervously with the bag of jewels at his hip. When he finally summoned the courage to speak, Hoggle's voice was high-pitched and quiet as a whisper.

"Y-you need my help?"

Jareth took a deep breath and returned to his seat. _Try to be nice_ , he thought chastising himself for his outburst, _this is about what's best for Sarah and the Kingdom, not your own petty jealousies_.

"Yes, Hoggle," Jareth said in a carefully calm tone, "I need your help, or, more accurately, Sarah needs you. She's…not adjusting well to her role as Queen."

"I can't _imagine_ why," Hoggle muttered under his breath. If Jareth hadn't had the enhanced senses of the Fae he would have missed the goblin's quip. Though his blood continued to boil, Jareth chose to let the comment slide.

"There is a great deal at stake," the King continued, "more than I have time to explain right now. Suffice it to say that if she does not start fulfilling her duties as Queen, a lot of innocent people and creatures will die. Their blood will be on her hands, as well as mine."

"So…what d'ya need me for?"

"I need you to talk to her. Convince her to do her duty, whatever it takes. She won't listen to me, but she might listen to you."

Hoggle considered Jareth's proposition for a moment, then his brow furrowed, his eyes dark with suspicion.

"For all I know you've got the little lady locked up in the dungeon and mean to lock me up too! Why should I trust you?"

Jareth laughed. _For once we're on the same page_.

"That feeling is certainly mutual. Let me be frank for a moment, I don't like you, Hoggle. I think you're a coward and I don't trust you in the slightest, but for some inexplicable reason _she_ trusts you. If you believe nothing else, believe this: if I thought for a _second_ there were any other option besides asking for your help, I would take it. If you trust nothing else, trust that the situation is desperate enough that I am willing to put my my utter loathing of you aside if it will help her."

Hoggle nodded and adjusted his belt, smoothing out the wrinkles in his shirt.

"Alright. I'll do it. When do we leave?"

Jareth let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. _This plan had better work_ , he thought. He pulled a bit of power to prepare for an equally dramatic exit.

"Meet me outside the castle gates in 10 minutes," Jareth said, "And change your shirt. You smell like ale."

With that, he disappeared, dropping his hold on the privacy spell as he faded from his seat in the alcove.


	15. Chapter 15

Hoggle straightened his vest as he stood next to Jareth outside the door to Sarah's room.

"You remember what we discussed, Jareth said, "stay on message, make sure that-"

"I know! I know! Make sure the lady understands the Kingdom needs her. Got it."

 _Sheesh, it's not as though he didn't explain it a thousand times as they walked through the castle_ , Hoggle thought. Still, there was something terribly unnerving about seeing the Goblin King on edge. Even now, as they stood outside Sarah's room, his hands trembled slightly. Hoggle pretended not to notice. Jareth put his hand on the door for a moment, then turned and looked Hoggle dead in the eyes.

"One more thing," he said, his voice stern, "I've seen the way you look at her. Try anything untoward, and I _will_ carry out that threat about the Bog of Stench. Understand?"

"Hey! She kissed me! I had nothin' to do with it!" Hoggle said, flustered. He never _asked_ her to kiss him, although, he wasn't sorry that it happened. Truth be told, with his newfound bravery, he'd risk the Bog of Eternal Stench for another kiss. _A real kiss_.

"I know," Jareth said softly. The King took a deep breath, then knocked on the door.

"Sarah," Jareth said, "are you awake?"

"Go away," she called from inside. Hoggle's heart raced. _She's alive_. He honestly hadn't been certain of that fact until this moment. He'd spent days worrying about her, not knowing if she'd gone back to her world or stayed in this one as Jareth's prisoner. Hearing her just on the other side of the door finally dispelled all the fears he'd carried since she'd gone running headlong into the castle.

"I've brought someone to see you," the King continued, opening the door slowly, as though a wild, easily frightened animal waited on the other side of the door.

"How many times do I have to tell you to leave me alone?" she said, adjusting in bed until she was sitting up, holding the covers over her thin form. Her eyes widened

As soon as Hoggle laid eyes on Sarah he understood the King's concern. She was waifish, her eyes red-rimmed with dark circles underneath them. Though he knew it had only been a few days she looked as though she hadn't slept in months. It broke Hoggle's heart to see her like this. She'd always been the strong one. She'd been the glue among their little band of friends during their journey through the Labyrinth together. Seeing her in this state, broken and exhausted, terrified Hoggle. _How do I even begin to fix this?_

"I'm sorry to bother you so late, but I figured if you're still not sleeping you can at least have some company," Jareth said, nudging Hoggle into the room, "I'll leave you two alone."

With a click, the door closed behind them.

Hoggle stood for a moment shifting his weight between his feet, unsure of what to say. Finally he broke the silence.

"It's good to see you, Sarah. We-that is-I've been so worried…"

"We never really got a chance to say a proper goodbye, did we?" She smiled weakly.

"Well don't you go tryin' to say it now!"

She laughed, then shuddered, drawing her knees into her chest. Hoggle searched for another way to break the ice between them. _How had she gotten so sick in such a short period of time_? By the looks of things, Jareth truly had done his best to take care of her. Her room was comfortable, and a tray of delicious-looking fruit sat untouched on the table near her bed. Yet she appeared gaunt, her skin pale as paper, her cheeks sunken. Something didn't add up.

"Sarah…" he began, crossing to sit in the plush armchair positioned near her bed, "what happened to you? You did defeat him right? Your brother-"

"Toby's fine," she said with certainty, "Jareth swears he disappeared from the castle without a trace and I...well, it's hard to explain, but I can feel it. I can just… _feel_ that he's safe." She said, brushing a long, wiry strand of brown hair from her face.

"Then, he hasn't been hurtin' you, has he? The King, that is," Hoggle said, doubting that to be the case.

"No, not at all," she said, her eyes misting with tears, "Jareth has been…well, unexpectedly kind. More patient with me than I deserve, really."

"Then what's wrong?" Hoggle asked, searching her eyes for some trace of the once headstrong, fearless leader he knew.

She sighed, looking at him with weary eyes.

"It's the Labyrinth," she began, "When I completed the maze I became connected to it somehow. I can feel its power running through me and…its suffocating me. When I first woke up I could feel it pulling at me, weighing on me, but it's gotten worse. I can feel the magic failing, as though its being siphoned out of the Labyrinth, taking my strength with me. I can't eat without wanting to vomit, and it won't let me sleep more than an hour or two at a time. I feel like I'm dying, Hoggle."

Hoggle felt a chill run down his spine. _She can't die_. _Not after everything we went through_. He leaned forward, taking her hand in his. As if to confirm what she'd just said, her skin felt cold to the touch.

"Have you told _him_ this?" He asked, his thumb idly stroking the back of her hand.

"No. I-I'm afraid to. He tells me all the time that I'm the key to saving his Kingdom, he looks at me with such hope…I don't want to take that away from him. But…how can I do what he's asking of me when I can't make the magic work no matter what I try? When it eats away at me to the point where I can barely get out of bed without collapsing? Every day the weight of it gets worse. I'm afraid of what he'll say when he realizes that I can't help him."

"Sarah," Hoggle said gently, "I have a hard time believing that _you_ of all people are suddenly afraid of Jareth. He tried to kill you and you still fought him!"

"That was when I thought he was evil, but now…" she said, trailing off.

"Yeah," he said, leaning back in the chair, "it is weird watching Jareth be _nice_."

Sarah smiled again, letting out a deep breath as she leaned back against the headboard.

"I feel guilty all the time. He's been so kind to me, and I can't bring myself to face him. And that's excluding the fact that I'm still not even certain I can trust him."

Yeah, join the club, Hoggle thought. Trust and Jareth did not go hand in hand, particularly after being threatened yet again with the bog of stench. And yet, trusting the King was probably in both of their best interests, for now, particularly where Sarah was concerned. Hoggle was far too inexperienced with magic to begin to teach her. He pulled his cap off his head, scratching at the wiry hair underneath. Finally, he spoke.

"Listen, you know I ain't no fan of Jareth's, but…I think you can trust him. For now, at least. Besides, he's the only one I know that might could help you with this whole magic business."

Sarah nodded.

"You're right," she said, moving as though to stand. Hoggle put a hand on her arm to stop her.

"Why don't you wait to tell him in the morning? It's late. You may as well try'n get some rest."

"Ok," she said, settling back into the bed, "will you stay with me though?"

"Of course," Hoggle said. He slid the chair closer to the bed, taking her outstretched hand in his. She squeezed it tight.

"I really missed you, Hoggle," She said dreamily, as her eyes grew heavy.

"I missed you, too," he said, smiling, " _more than you know_ ," he added, his voice barely above a whisper.

Before long sleep began to overtake him. A pleasant warmth spread through his body as he began to relax into the plush upholstery of the chair. It was quite comfortable, and he wondered if Jareth had fallen asleep here before while watching over Sarah as well. His skin prickled gently, the sensation strangely comforting, lulling him into a deep, dreamless sleep.

He woke to the sound of screams.

* * *

Jareth had spent a restless night in the sitting room adjacent to his chambers. He'd flown in owl form for a while, both in an effort to give Sarah and Hoggle some privacy in their reunion and to remove himself from the temptation of listening at the door. When he returned and saw the door to his former room still closed, he resisted the urge to intrude, though not without some difficulty. He briefly poured over his notes on the other Labyrinth runners, the members of the Order of Saarah, looking for some clue as to their current whereabouts. As always, he came up empty-handed. Frustrated and exhausted, he finally slipped into sleep, book in hand, on a chaise lounge near the fireplace.

When he woke to the sound of Sarah's screams, however, he immediately regretted his decision to give her privacy. Half-awake, he leapt to his feet, grabbing his sword from where it lay sheathed, leaning against the fireplace. In two quick strides he was across the room, flinging open the door that separated him from Sarah.

"What in the…" Jareth trailed off, unable to find word that adequately expressed his shock at the sight before him. Standing at the edge of the bed, attempting in vain to cover himself, was a naked, golden-skinned man with black hair that reached just past his shoulders.

"I can explain," the man said, turning to face Jareth. His seemingly naturally khol-rimmed eyes were wide, and he looked just about as shocked as Jareth felt.

His senses returning, Jareth raised his sword and advanced on the naked intruder, backing him up against the tower wall, his blade pressing against the stranger's neck.

"Jareth wait-" Sarah shouted from the bed. She looked even worse, if that were possible. Her cheeks were sunken and her voice cracked as she spoke.

"You have exactly five seconds to tell me why I shouldn't run you through right now," Jareth said, eyes blazing.

"H-hang on-" the man stuttered.

"One," Jareth said.

"Jareth stop!" Sarah yelled.

"Stay out of this, Sarah. Two."

"It's not what it looks like," the man said hurriedly.

"Oh, really, then _please_ enlighten me. Three."

"EVERYONE JUST STOP!" Sarah yelled, lavender light surging forth from her hands on the word stop, filling the room with a blinding brilliance.

Warmth surged through Jareth, just like the night when she'd claimed the Labyrinth's power. When the light receded and his eyes adjusted, Jareth looked around to find that the room had changed drastically in appearance. Covering every surface of the walls was thick ivy with small, white flowers. Colorful blooms dripped from the rafters of the ceiling and all around tiny fireflies drifted like bright, miniscule stars around the room, twinkling in the pre-dawn light that filtered in through the window.

"Jareth," Sarah said in a clear, warning tone, "Put. The. Sword. Down. NOW!"

Jareth stared at her agape. The room, it seemed was not the only thing that had changed in the blink of an eye. Sarah glowed, her eyes bright emeralds that stood in bright contrast to her now silky dark hair that cascaded down her face. Gone were the dark circles and sunken cheeks. He was so taken by the drastic change in her appearance that he completely forgot her command.

"I mean it, Jareth," she said, the air around her beginning to deepen with the faint purple hue that accompanied her magic. Slowly, Jareth lowered his sword from the strange man's throat, the man rubbing the spot where the blade had been as if to assure himself that he hadn't been harmed.

"Thank you," she said, turning her attention to the dark haired man, "now, would you care to introduce yourself, or would you prefer me to do the honors?"

The man cleared his throat, tucking his shoulder length hair behind his ears.

"I'm Hoggle," he said, to Jareth's utter astonishment, "or at least, I _was_ Hoggle. But before I was Hoggle I was…" he closed his eyes, searching for the words, "Saresh."

Jareth looked around the room, looking for any proof of the man's story. Sure enough, the only sign of the dwarf was his shredded clothes, lying in tatters in the armchair by the bed. He looked back at the man, still trying desperately to cover himself with his hand.

" _Prince_ Sarash Rama Sambhaji," The man said, emphasizing his title, "I'd shake your hand but…well…" he smiled a bright, sheepish grin.

Jareth rolled the name around in his mind. He suddenly remembered something out of the notes he'd read the night before, and he realized why the Prince's name was familiar.

"You ran the Labyrinth." He said simply.

"Yeah, I guess I did…It's all a bit hazy, but I remember reaching the city walls, and then…" he closed his eyes, running a hand through his hair, "nothing. I had no memories, no one, just…emptiness…and then-" he looked at Sarah, his golden eyes "she came. I didn't know why, but something was drawing me to you. I followed you into the Labyrinth, I couldn't figure it out at the time, but, I think it was the magic, drawing me to you. And last night, the warmth coming from your hand-"

Jareth cleared his throat, raising an eyebrow in question. _What exactly happened between these two last night_? Sarah caught Jareth's questioning look and hastily spoke.

"It wasn't anything like that! We just fell asleep holding hands! I-we didn't-nothing happened!"

"Mm-hmm," Jareth said, crossing to the now ivy-covered wardrobe on the far end of the room.

"Well, Sarah, it seems you've found the first member of the Order."

"What are you doing?" Saresh asked, a twinge of suspicion in his voice.

"Relax," Jareth said, rummaging through the wardrobe, "I'm just finding you something to wear. I take it that's why you screamed, Sarah?"

He tossed a pair of grey breeches and a loose, white shirt to the naked prince, who quickly pulled them on. Closing the wardrobe door, he turned to see that Sarah had flushed scarlet.

"I woke up to find a naked stranger in a chair, of course I screamed!" she said defensively. Saresh grinned mischievously. _Of course **he's** loving this_. Jareth hated to admit it, but Saresh was every bit as handsome as his carefully written notes made him out to be. It was hard enough to avoid jealousy when the man was a goblin, but now he was a competitor in earnest.

"It's for the best, I suppose," Jareth said, crossing to the edge of the bed and seating himself, "now can we get down to business?"

Sarah shot a quick glance at the man formerly known as Hoggle, who nodded, leaning nonchalantly against the tower wall.

"Actually, Jareth, I owe you an explanation," she paused, "and, an apology. I was having a difficult time shouldering the weight of the Labyrinth's magic. It was making me sick, draining me. I couldn't figure out how to use it, either. I still don't know how I made all this happen," she said, gesturing to the lush greenery around them, "and then you told me how much you're relying on me and…well…"

"I understand," Jareth said, "I'm sorry if I overwhelmed you. As for the magic, well, it makes sense. You're connected to the Labyrinth, and it's not stable. It only stands to reason that you'd manifest that imbalance physically. I just wish I'd realized it sooner. How are you feeling now?"

"Better, much better actually," she said. "I can feel your connection as well Hog-I mean Saresh," she said, looking at the prince, "It's a lot lighter already."

"Good, although you weren't kidding," Saresh said, regarding his hands as he opened and closed them, "it's certainly not the most comfortable feeling in the world!"

The two shared a laugh, and though Jareth smiled amicably, in his heart he felt the twinge of jealousy. As Hoggle, Saresh already shared a bond with Sarah that Jareth was not privy to, but now, being connected through the Labyrinth's magic, he felt even more like an interloper. He forced down his bitter thoughts, reminding himself that now was not the time for such things. As their laughter subsided, he reached out, taking Sarah's hand. This time, she did not pull away.

"Sarah," he said seriously, "I told you I wouldn't wait forever for an answer."

She straightened, tucking the curtain of her dark hair behind her ear with her free hand. The dawn light streamed in through the window, casting a warm glow about the room that gave the moment a certain sense of gravity. Letting out a deep breath, she met Jareth's gaze with the same, determined look he remembered from her run in the Labyrinth. _At last, you've returned to me, my Queen_.

"I'll do it," she said, "after all, it's my Kingdom, too."

"You always did act like the Queen of the Labyrinth, your Majesty," Sarash quipped, ginning broadly, "I hereby pledge my service to you," he paused momentarily before adding, "to the both of you."

Jareth smiled in spite of himself. It wasn't exactly the way he'd envisioned this morning beginning, but he was pleased with the outcome nonetheless.

"Saresh," Jareth said, not removing his gaze from Sarah "Why don't we let Sarah take some time to get dressed. I'll have the Kitchens bring breakfast up to the sitting room, if no one objects?"

They both murmured their approval, and Jareth gestured for the prince to follow him as he turned to leave.

"So, I bet you're about ready to kill me for the whole nudity thing, hmm?" Saresh said as soon as the door closed behind them.

"Yes, about that, don't ever do it again."

 _Things are about to get interesting, indeed_ , Jareth thought, as he left his chambers and headed for the kitchens.


	16. Chapter 16

Sarah smoothed the dark green fabric of her dress as she took her seat at the wooden breakfast table that had been set up in the center of the large sitting room adjacent to Jareth's bedroom. On her right, Saresh was already helping himself to a large pomegranate, the juice staining his fingers and lips a deep red. Jareth sat still, silently regarding Sarah for a moment before, at last, turning his attention to the spread of fruits, cured meats, and cheeses before them.

 _Why does he always make me feel as though he's looking at me though a microscope?_ Jareth had a way of making her feel exposed, as though he had direct access to her thoughts. She hoped mind-reading wasn't one of his abilities, otherwise she would have some explaining to do. In the days since she woke, it was getting harder and harder to deny her attraction to him. _It would be so much easier if he **had** turned out to be evil_, she thought. Although, if she were being honest with herself, it was his propensity for darkness, the deliciously wicked edge to his smile, that drew her to him from the moment she laid eyes on him.

She forced herself to dismiss such thoughts. _He admitted to seeing me naked and hasn't done anything_ , she thought, _face it, Sarah, he's not interested in your school-girl crush._

"Try this, Sarah," Saresh said, holding out a few bright red pomegranate seeds. It was clear he intended to hand feed them to her. Sarah hesitated a moment, then opened her mouth, catching the dark look in Jareth's eyes as she did so. The tart red seeds were delicious and she smiled, causing Saresh to beam in approval. She blushed hard, feeling her ears turn red.

Saresh was another complication. While Sarah was still assessing her feelings for him, it was clear that he had deep feelings for her beyond friendship. _How long has he felt that way, and do I feel the same?_ As Hoggle it had been easy to categorize what they shared as mere friendship, but as Saresh she found it harder to dismiss his feelings for her as platonic. When she thought about it, she had much more in common with Saresh than Jareth, they shared a magical bond, they had both run the Labyrinth, and, consequentially, had both been taken from their former lives. Simply put, Saresh was easy to be around. He felt safe, where Jareth was most definitely dangerous. She certainly felt a strong connection to the prince, but whether that connection was friendship, love, or the result of a magical bond between them, she didn't know.

 _Stop thinking about boys!_ _You are supposed to be the Queen! You have more important things to worry about now_. Chastizing herself, she began helping herself to some cheese and sliced apples. To her relief, there was not a single peach in the entire spread.

"So…what happens now?" Saresh asked through a mouthful of pomegranate seeds. Sarah was grateful he'd broken the tension for her. Jareth might be too dignified to voice his feelings, but his displeasure with Saresh radiated off of him.

"That depends," Jareth said, carefully spreading a dark jam onto a piece of bread, "how are you feeling, Sarah?"

"I'm fine," she replied. Physically, this was true. Mentally, however, she was nervous beyond belief. She'd committed to her role as Queen, there was no going back, however she couldn't shake the nagging fear of failure that lingered at the edge of her thoughts.

"Good. I'd hoped that we could begin the search for the other members of the Order of the Saarah," Jareth said, "but after your recent illness, I believe we may have a more pressing matter on our hands to be addressed first."

"And that is?" she asked.

"We need to ensure that you-both of you-are able to utilize your magic on a regular basis," Jareth said, licking a bit of jam off his fingers in a way that triggered Sarah's darker fantasies into high gear. _Stop getting distracted_ , Sarah warned herself. "In the two times that you've use magic extensively you've had rather extreme reactions. First, your subconscious use of magic during your run followed by your ascention to the Regency sent you into a three-day coma. Then, this morning, your surpression of magic culminated in you turning my room into a botanical garden."

"The honeysuckle was a particularly nice touch," Saresh interjected, "a personal favorite of mine."

"What I'm trying to say," Jareth continued, shooting a look at Saresh that instantly wiped the grin from his face, "is that it seems that a balanced use of magic is going to be key to ensuring both of your health. While the Labyrinth remains unbalanced, you two are going to have a difficult time to keep from succumbing to the same drained state that you were in, Sarah. The sooner you both gain a grasp on your abilities, the safer you'll be."

Sarah let out a deep breath, spreading a soft brie on a slice of green apple. Though she knew she had much to learn, somehow magical training seemed more surmountable than marching headlong into a quest to find the remaining Saarah. If Saresh was any indication, it was likely to be a difficult search. _How am I going to find people that I've never met, who will likely appear to be some kind of goblin?_

"When do we start?" She asked, putting on a brave face. Jareth smiled and stood, crossing to the mantle over the fireplace, where he retrieved a large, squat candle.

"Immediately," the King said, taking his seat and placing the candle before him. "I have a theory that I'd like to test. Saresh, would you be so kind as to light this candle?"

Saresh concentrated hard, shutting his eyes. Through their bond, Sarah could feel the magical energy gathering around him, and a shimmering gold light began to appear in the space around him. But, try as he might, the candle remained unlit.

"Alright, enough with trying to light it, that's clearly not working. Try moving the candle instead."

"Where?" Saresh asked.

"Anywhere," Jareth replied, "try to move it with your mind. Any distance, any direction."

Again Saresh drew power to him, the gold light pulsing steadily like a heartbeat as it grew more vibrant. Just as before, the candle remained exactly as it was, undisturbed.

"As I suspected," Jareth said, "Let's try something a bit more suited to your abilities." He snapped his fingers, and Saresh disappeared from the table.

"What-where did he go?" Sarah asked, stunned at the sudden disappearance of her friend.

"The dungeon," Jareth said matter-of-factly, producing a crystal from his pocket, "an oubliette to be exact."

"And how, exactly, is this going to help?" she said, gritting her teeth. This was obviously payback.

"Have a little faith, Sarah," he chided playfully, his wicked smile creeping up the corners of his lips, "Honestly, it's like neither of you trust me at all!"

" _Gee_ , I wonder why that is!" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jareth waved his hand over the crystal, and an image of Saresh trapped in the dungeons appeared, the gold light still emanating around his long, lean frame. He was in a different oubliette than the one Sarah had found herself in. This one was not nearly as large and was completely bare, whereas hers had been littered with debris.

"Let's try something a bit different Saresh," Jareth said to the crystal. By the surprised look on Saresh's face, he could hear Jareth clearly from his new location.

"Jareth! What the Hell!?" Saresh shouted, looking up at the sky, a furious expression on his face.

"Calm down and I'll explain," Jareth said, hardly bothering to hide his amusement any longer, "There is a trend to the instances when you've used magic. Each time it was to utilize the skill of conveyance, or simply put, the summoning of a portal or door that will lead you elsewhere-"

"Yes, but-"

"In my little candle test a moment ago, I wanted to gauge if your powers extended beyond that particular skill, which apparently they do not. You gathered a rather large amount of power and were still unable to summon fire or move the candle. This proves a theory I've been working on concerning magic as it relates to members of the Order. If my theory is correct, each member of the Order is gifted with only one magical ability, with the notable exception of the Regent who, like myself, has a more extensive range of powers. As I mentioned before, your power is conveyance, which means you are perfectly capable of escaping that cell and continuing your breakfast anytime you choose."

"Wait-Jareth, you can't be serious!" Saresh said, a tense note of panic in his voice pitching his tone slightly higher than normal.

"Good luck!" Jareth said amicably.

"No! Wait-" he shouted, his voice cut off as the crystal went clear, his image disappearing.

"Now, Sarah, where were we?" Jareth said, pocketing the crystal.

"Was that absolutely necessary, locking him in the oubliette like that?" She asked, a weary note of exasperation in her voice.

"No," he said, smiling, "It wasn't. But, it does give us the ability to work on your magic undisturbed."

She sighed. Things between Jareth and Saresh were not getting off to a great start. _We're supposed to be on the same team here!_ Frustrated, she took a sip of water, gathering her thoughts before lifting her gaze into Jareth's amused eyes.

"So, I suppose you want me to give the candle a try as well?" She asked.

"Not right this moment, although I do strongly suggest you make it a daily exercise. While covering my room with flowers is, indeed, impressive, learning to focus in on one small thing helps with control. As for what we'll be doing, I'm thinking we might try to kill two birds with one stone."

"You do mean metaphorically, I hope? That is, I'd prefer not to kill any actual birds," Sarah said. She hoped the clarification wasn't necessary, but with Jareth, you never knew.

"Duly noted," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye. Jareth stood and crossed back toward the fireplace, this time stopping at a small wooden table next to a comfortable looking chair. Opening the hutch underneath, he drew a long, black box from inside, and returned to the table. Instead of returning to his side of the table, he dragged the wooden chair around the table until he was positioned right next to Sarah. He set the box on the table and opened it.

Inside, sitting on a dark blue velvet lining, were six identical crystal orbs, just like the one he'd used to watch Saresh. A chill ran down Sarah's spine as a sudden thought struck her. _If he could spy on Saresh with these things, then did that mean he'd watched me the whole time during my run of the Labyrinth?_ She wasn't sure how she felt about the Goblin King being able to invade her privacy so easily. Once again, without saying a word, he'd made her feel exposed.

"Take one," Jareth said, his voice pulling her out of her thoughts.

Sarah reached out and picked up one of the crystals. It was warm to the touch and surprisingly lighter than she'd anticipated it to be. She cupped her hands around it, allowing the pleasant warmth to seep into her skin.

"We're going to do something a little more advanced than lighting a candle, but similar in nature," he said. "This is also an exercise in focus, however if you get distracted there's considerably less risk of you accidentally burning down the castle."

"You seemed willing enough to take that risk with Saresh."

"Yes, but I was fairly certain my theory was correct, just as I'm fairly certain about the current identity of another member of the Order."

"How can you go through life so...so cocky?!"

"Sarah, I'm a King," he said, matter of factly, "Ruling a Kingdom means being certain in the face of uncertainty. I have to appear confident in my decisions for the sake of those who follow me. In time, you'll need to learn that skill as well."

"Oh," she said, simply. It hadn't occurred to her that his confident approach to decision-making was a political tactic.

"Besides, I'm a meticulous researcher. The texts about the Order of the Saarah are vague, but they make one idea absolutely clear, which is the division of power. It wouldn't make sense to have a governing body of twelve people who were of equal power to the two Monarchs. If they were, I imagine I would have read about more that one instance of rebellion among members of the Order. Since no such rebellions are mentioned anywhere, it stands to reason that the King and Regent, while fewer in number, are more powerful individually than the Order combined."

"So, the Order members only have one power, but they're the experts on that power," Sarah said, following his reasoning. "You and I can do more types of magic, but that would make us less specifically skilled in each individual area, which is where their expertise factors in to the balance of power."

"Exactly."

"One thing I don't understand," she said, "is if the Order didn't engage in a rebellion against the Monarchy, then what _did_ cause them to disappear?"

"That I don't know, but there's only one way to find out. Which brings us to the task at hand," he said. He extended his hands, placing them on the outside of hers, still cupping the crystal. A spark of electricity shot through her at his touch, and she realized that this was the first time he'd ever touched her. _Well, consciously anyways_ , she said, her thoughts drifting unbidden to the image of him bathing her while she'd been comatose.

"I want you to use the crystal to find someone. It's a relatively simple bit of magic, but it does require concentration. Don't worry, I'll talk you through it. Fortunately, you already know this person, which makes it considerably easier."

"Who am I trying to find?" she asked.

"I want you to find Ludo."

"Ludo?"

"Yes. I suspect, based on the magic I observed him perform, that he is also a member of the Order of Saarah. Which means we need to find him as soon as possible."

So he _had_ been spying on her during her run. She took a deep breath, trying to concentrate even as her heart fluttered in her chest.

"Ok," she said, steeling herself, "I'm ready."

"Concentrate on drawing the power into yourself. Do you feel it pulsing all around you?"

"Yes," she said. Like Jareth's current proximity to her, it was difficult to ignore. It pulled at her constantly, beating it's steady rhythm always just on the edge of her perception. She drew it into herself, and watched as a lavender light began to glow around her hands.

"Very good," he said. She felt herself flush at his approval. "Now I need you to concentrate. Focus all your energy on Ludo. Picture him in your mind, and direct that image into the crystal."

Sarah closed her eyes, summoning up her memories of the gentle giant. She pictured his great, shaggy form, covered head to toe in auburn fur, dark horns protruding from his skull. She pictured his eyes, the tenderness in their gaze, which at first glance seemed in stark contrast to his fearsome stature. Anyone who knew the beast, however, knew him to be a gentle soul, one incapable of causing harm. She focused on Ludo's image until she swore she could hear his roar right next to her.

"Sarah! You've done it!" Jareth said exuberantly. Opening her eyes, she saw that the formerly clear crystal now pictured the gentle giant exiting the city gates with Sir Didymus.

_"Home," Ludo grumbled, his rumbling voice dragging out the one-word question._

_"That's right, Sir Ludo," Didymus said atop his "steed" Ambrosious, "I've neglected my sworn duty long enough. I'm honored you've chosen to join me in guarding the bridge...or-well-walking stones I suppose."_

_"Friends," Ludo replied, though after a moment he added, "Smell bad."_

_"You get used to it," Didymus replied cheerfully. "Besides, what's a sworn duty without sacrifice?"_

"I-I did it," she echoed, still unable to believe it. "I did it!"

Sarah beamed, unable to contain her happiness. At that moment, the door to Jareth's tower room burst open in a deafening bang.

"Jareth! You bastard! I'm gonna KILL you!"

A sweaty, disheveled Saresh burst into the room, his face contorted with rage. His long black hair had fallen out of its neat ponytail and his crisp white shirt was now stained with dirt and grime from the oubliette.

"Saresh, right on time," Jareth said, releasing Sarah's hands. "Sarah has just discovered the location of the next member of the Order of Saarah. We're going to need your skills right away."

"I-uh-don't try to change the subject!"

Jareth sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"Stop being so dramatic Saresh, you did escape after all, just like I said you would."

"You didn't have to lock me up!"

"No, but it certainly gave you the motivation to complete the task at hand. You forget I've watched you both, and from my observations you both perform best under pressure."

"Oh, so I suppose you locked her up too?"

"She required a...different sort of pressure," Jareth said, his mischievous smile returning to his face.

At this Saresh fell silent, looking from Jareth to Sarah, who blushed uncontrollably. _So Jareth **is** aware of my attraction to him_ , she thought, _I should have known!_ Though, that meant he'd been manipulating her emotions into getting the results he wanted from her, just like he did to Saresh. _This_ is what made her feelings towards him so complicated. Yes, on a physical level she was attracted to him, but she could never be certain of his intentions. Interacting with the Goblin King was like playing chess, and Jareth was always three steps ahead of her. Years of ruling a Kingdom might make him an effective leader and Monarch, but it certainly made him unreadable as a person. _Am I ever going to be able to trust him?_

"So, if you're both finished with breakfast, who's up for a trip outside the city," Jareth asked.

"I guess we'd better get going." Sarah replied, taking one last gulp of water, then standing to join Saresh.

Saresh turned to the door he'd left ajar after his dramatic entrance, shut it, and placed his hand flat against the wood, closing his eyes. When he opened them, he turned the handle, opening the door to the dusty exterior of the Goblin City's outer wall.

"After you, m'lady," he said with a sweeping bow. With that, Sarah stepped through the door.


	17. Chapter 17

Saresh followed Sarah and Jareth into the bright late-morning sunlight. As soon as he set foot on the dirt road outside the Goblin City, he felt his connection to the portal slipping away. Turning, he saw the massive stone wall of the City behind him, its dark grey stones bearing no indication that three people had just crossed through its impressive defenses.

"Unless you consciously keep the path open a portal will typically close itself after its summoner crosses through," Jareth said behind him, as if reading his thoughts.

Saresh turned and nodded his thanks at the explanation. After being thrown in the dungeon, he wasn't quite ready to offer the Goblin King any kind of verbal gratitude yet. _Just because Sarah and I need him doesn't mean he and I need to be friends_.

"I don't see Ludo," Sarah said, looking down the path in the direction of the Bog of Stench. "He and Didymus must be farther down.

"We'll catch up to them," Jareth said, setting off down the path with Sarah. Saresh jogged a couple quick steps to catch up. Another thing he refused to allow after the events of that morning was for Jareth to get Sarah all to himself again. He didn't know what, exactly, had transpired between the two of them, but, recalling Sarah's flushed expression, he had a few guesses. _It's not as though I haven't thought of the same things myself_ , he admitted.

There was something about Sarah that had drawn him even while he'd been a goblin. It was as though she could see straight to the heart of a person without even knowing them, the good and bad, and accepted them just as they were. Sure, they'd had several tumultuous moments while he'd believed he was Hoggle the coward, but she'd considered him a friend almost immediately, caring for him when he'd had no one. _The ability to love another person like that, completely and without hesitation or condition, is its own form of magic_ , he realized. He was convinced that it was her ability to see the true hearts of others, to care for a complete stranger, that had restored him to his true form. For that, Saresh would always be grateful. For that, he would follow her to whatever end, no matter the risk to himself.

"Did you bring the crystal, Sarah?" Jareth asked as they walked.

She nodded, producing it from the pocket of her dark green dress.

"Do you want me to find him again?" She asked.

"Sort of," Jareth said, "you remember how I had you focus on his image before?"

"Yes," she said.

"This time, instead of focusing on Ludo himself, I want you to focus on something a bit more abstract; the magical link between you and Saresh."

"Me?" Saresh asked, looking at Jareth. For the life of him he couldn't figure out what would be gained by having her locate himself when he was standing right next to them.

"Yes," Jareth continued, "not you, specifically, but your bond. If you can use the crystal to sense the _link_ between order members, we can continue to find the other members of the order, even if you've never met them. If I am correct about Ludo, then the crystal should glow as we get closer to him. Think you can try this one on your own, Sarah?"

"Yeah, I think so," She said, placing the crystal between her palms.

She stared intently at the crystal, her hands beginning to glow with her signature light. As she worked, Saresh felt a slight pull on his magic, casing his fingers to tingle slightly. It was a strange feeling, a sort of peripheral awareness that something was happening, like sensing the presence of a ghost, or being watched by an unseen stranger from far away. The feeling caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. Finally, the crystal glowed, first lavender, then gold, then finally an earthy green color, which it remained.

"I think that's Ludo," she said, looking at Jareth, "I can feel him just ahead. We're not far behind."

"How do you know it's Ludo and not someone else?" Saresh asked.

"Well, when you use magic you get this kind of gold aura around you," Sarah said. "Mine is a sort of light purple. I don't know it's Ludo, not exactly, but I can feel that the magic the crystal is detecting is the same as ours. The connection isn't nearly as strong, but it's the same on some fundamental level."

Saresh nodded, and the three continued down the path. He was starting to realize that magic was far from an exact science. Sure, when he'd escaped from the dungeon he'd wound up at his exact destination, but that was, in part, due to the fact that he'd been eating breakfast in his destination only moments before. Had he not been able to picture the room in perfect detail, he imagined the destination would have been more general, somewhere in the castle, but not the exact room he desired. When he'd led Sarah and the King through this time his destination was simply "outside the city wall". _I'm going to have to be more careful_ , he thought, realizing that he could easily have brought them to any number of locations along the city wall. He resolved to spend some time creating a catalogue of locations throughout the Labyrinth, places he could recall in perfect detail and travel to in an instant if necessary. _Couldn't hurt_ , he thought, _especially if we're going to have to find the rest of the Order of Saarah without knowing who they are exactly_.

They came to the top of a hill, which descended toward a forested area, the trees forming giant natural archways over the path. There, just on the edge of the treeline, were Didymus and Ludo.

Sarah's eyes lit up at the sight of them, and Saresh saw the crystal's glow intensify in her hand.

"Ludo! Sir Didymus!" She called, taking off at a run down the hill.

"Wait-Sarah!" Jareth called reaching out after her.

"Don't worry, I've got her back," Saresh called over his shoulder, taking off at a run after Sarah. When he caught up to her he was going to have to talk to her about how a Queen shouldn't run off on her own, even if she was leaving Jareth behind.

He caught up with her just before they reached Ludo and Didymus, the minuscule knight somehow appearing smaller than Saresh remembered. _Well, you **were** a lot shorter as Hoggle_ , he reminded himself.

"Ah! My Lady!" Didymus said, somehow managing to execute a perfect, sweeping bow from his perch on the back of Ambrosious, "Well, I must say this is...unexpected, but a most welcome surprise!"

"Sarah!" Ludo called out exuberantly.

"Hello Ludo, Sir Didymus," Sarah said, beaming from ear to ear.

"To what do we owe the pleasure...and, why, come to think of it, what happened to you?" Didymus asked. Suddenly, he seemed to notice Saresh, who stood behind her, "And who are these-ah-new companions of yours?" he added, a twinge of hurt in his voice.

"I guess you wouldn't recognize me, Sir Didymus," Saresh said, bending down until he and the knight were eye to eye, "After all, I was quite a bit shorter when we last met, and much more cowardly."

Sir Didymus squinted his eyes, carefully searching Saresh's face for some familiar sign. Finally, his eyes widened in surprise.

"I-ah-but-no, it couldn't be-Hoggle?"

"It's me, alright," Saresh said, beaming at the Knight's stunned surprise.

"Hoggle, FRIEND!" Ludo said, sweeping Saresh up in a strong embrace.

"Hey! Whoah! Put me down big guy!" he yelled, struggling to breathe. He may be gentle by nature, but Ludo tended to forget his own strength on occasion.

"Oh, sorry," the giant said, releasing Saresh.

"No harm done, I think," he replied, catching his breath as Sarah giggled at their exchange. _It really is good to have the group back together_ , Saresh thought as he listened to Sarah's musical laugh.

"I missed you both so much," she said, finally getting her giggles under control. "As to what we're doing here, well it's kind of a long story..."

Sarah filled them in on the details of what had transpired since she'd last seen them, and Saresh interjected with his additions to the tale where necessary. When Sarah finally reached the part about agreeing to work with Jareth, they both looked around to find him standing a few feet away. During their reunion, it appeared the King had chosen to hang back for a time, but at Sarah's gesture, he joined the group.

"So, you see, we need to find out if Ludo is a member of the Order of Saarah," she concluded.

"And, well, I suppose if he _does_ turn out to be a member of the Order, he'll have to go with you," Sir Didymus said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"I'm afraid so," Jareth said. The King had remained quiet while Saresh and Sarah filled their friends in on recent events, so, at his sudden interjection, the entire group turned to look at Jareth.

"Your Majesty," Sir Didymus said, dismounting Ambrisious and taking a knee, "I humbly beg your pardon for my treasonous actions. I will perform any task you see fit to regain your royal favor,"

"Since your actions were in service to the Queen, I grant you forgiveness, but on one condition"

"Anything, my liege."

"I want you to serve as the new Captain of the City Guard."

At this Didymus looked up, genuine surprise on his sharp-featured face.

"I-uh-me, your Majesty?"

"I can think of no one more fit for the position. I hear that you proved to be quite a disciplined and formidable adversary during the battle of the Goblin City, demonstrating incredible courage in the face of overwhelming odds. The city guard could use a commander such as yourself. Besides, as Captain of the City Guard, you'll be expected to make regular security reports at the castle. So, what do you say?" Jareth said, grinning.

"I graciously accept!"

"Then rise, Sir Didymus, Captain of the City Guard."

Sir Didymus rose, thanking Jareth profusely for the opportunity. _We'll, he's won Didymus' loyalty_ , Saresh noted, though he had to admit, it was an incredibly kind offer. Sir Didymus would definitely take the job seriously, and it gave both Saresh and Sarah another ally at the castle. _Clever move, Jareth_.

"Well, Sarah, I believe we have an Order member to restore," Jareth said.

"Right!" She turned to face Ludo, her brow furrowing, before turning back to the group, "Actually...I'm not really sure how to do this. I mean, I was asleep when I did it to Hoggle..." her voice trailed off.

"I'm afraid I can't help you there, Sarah," Jareth said, "This kind of magic is entirely your own. Not having observed what happened between you and Saresh, I'm afraid even I don't know how to help you."

"I might," Saresh interjected, "at least, I have an idea that might be of some use."

Sarah nodded, and he crossed to her side.

"I remember feeling a warm, tingling sensation when I fell asleep holding your hand," Saresh said, noticing Jareth's raised eyebrow at this revalation. "It felt like it was coming from your touch. I thought it was just exhaustion, but now...I'm not sure. What I'm trying to say is, I think you have to touch him."

"Ok," Sarah said, "does it matter where?"

"Try his over heart," Jareth suggested, and she placed her hands over the left side of Ludo's chest.

"Alright...now, I'm not really sure how to explain this," Saresh continued, "but you have this...thing that you do, where you sort of see past a person's appearance?

"Huh?" she said.

"I'm sorry, I don't know if that's making any sense," Saresh said. "Ok! I've got it! Remember when we first heard Ludo in the maze, and I ran away but you went to investigate further?"

"Yes?"

"Well, you didn't take him at face value. You looked beyond the frightening exterior and figured out he's actually pretty tame. When you brought me back, it felt like you _saw_ me, the _real_ me, hidden deep down. I don't know if that helps, but-"

"No, it does. Thanks!" She smiled, then took a deep breath, directing her focus to Ludo. "Ok, ready Ludo?"

"Ludo scared," he said, shifting his weight back and forth.

"It's going to be ok, Ludo," Saresh said, "trust me."

Saresh watched as the lavender light gathered around Sarah, her hands barely visible between the bright rays of her magic and Ludo's dense fur. Ludo looked around nervously for a moment, then closed his eyes, the same earthy green light from the crystal emerging around his body. The light grew brighter, Sarah and Ludo becoming harder to make out until finally, Saresh was forced to look away.

Saresh felt it before the light receded, like a weight being lifted off his shoulders. Ludo was now linked to the Order, and to the Labyrinth's magic. When the light finally died he looked up to see that Ludo had vanished, and in his place was a large, jolly-looking stranger who looked to be somewhere in his late forties. Where ludo had been covered in shaggy hair, this man was completely bald on top of his head. His hair, it seemed had migrated to his face, where he sported a full, auburn beard peppered with silver hairs. He sported a full pot-belly that seemed to mirror his round, rosy cheeks. He was also completely naked. _Well, at least I'm not the only one_ , Saresh thought, amused.

"Sarah!" Ludo exclaimed, sweeping her up in the same, crushing hug he'd trapped Saresh in only moments ago. Suddenly realizing his nudity, he released her, blushing heavily. "I-uh, well, sorry for my appearance."

"It's no big deal," Sarah said, stifling a laugh. She, too, was flushed a deep scarlet. "Guess I'll have to get used to nudity."

"So it would seem," Jareth said, pulling his cloak off his shoulders and handing it to Ludo, who promptly wrapped himself in the dark fabric. "Next time we'll come more prepared. It's nice to finally meet you-um...?"

"Dr. Seran T. Ludlow, at your service," Ludo said, extending his hand toward Jareth.

"A doctor?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, well, not the kind you're thinking," Ludo said, "I am, or was, an expert geologist back in our world."

"Friend of the rocks, indeed," Saresh said, clapping the Doctor on the arm playfully.

"Seran, Saresh, and Sarah," Jareth said, the gears in his mind turning visibly as he mulled over his thoughts, "Hmm...this is likely going to become very confusing. Would you mind if we continued to call you Ludo, for short?"

"Not at all," Ludo said, "actually I think the name suits me!"

"Then its settled. Welcome to the Order of Saarah, Ludo!" Jareth said, shaking his hand. "Well, I suppose we're all done here. Saresh, if you'd be so kind as to take us home?"

"With this many people, it'd be easier if I had a solid surface to work with," Saresh said, "I think it would be best if we walked back towards the wall first."

"Certainly," the King said, cordially.

With that, the group made their way back uphill towards the city wall. As they walked, Sir Didymus talked Jareth's ear off as listed the many ways he intended to improve security in the Goblin City. To his credit, the King wore a pleasantly interested expression, but Saresh noted the slight strain at the corner of Jareth's eyes. _That man is a trained professional in masking his thoughts_ , he observed. Ludo, as it turns out, had a boisterous laugh that complemented the man's sense of humor, and he entertained Sarah and Saresh with tales of his misadventures in the Labyrinth before he met Sarah. When they finally reached the wall, it took only a moment for Saresh to summon the portal back to Jareth's tower room. Sir Didymus insisted on going though first, in case any villains were lying in wait for them on the other side, followed by Sarah and Ludo.

Before Jareth could go through, however, a strange, strangled cry like the sound of a wounded animal caught their attention. Saresh looked at Jareth, who turned to investigate the sound. Uncertain whether to go with him, Saresh remained where he was, keeping the portal open. Jareth wasn't gone long before he suddenly called out from father up the path.

"Saresh, close the portal."

"What-"

"Close the portal NOW!"

Releasing his hold on the portal, he allowed the wall to dissolve back into stone, then ran to join Jareth. He stood outside the City's eastern gate. Before them, a hooded figure crouched over what appeared to be a goblin soldier, or rather, had once been. The creature was a bloodied mess, deep wounds covering nearly every visible inch of skin. Its dark blood was smeared on the city walls, splatters covering the hooded man's cloak and hands and pooled in the dirt beneath him.

"I wasn't expecting to see you, here, Jareth," the crouched figure said, "and you brought one of your _dogs_ with you, how quaint." His bloodied hood fell from his face as he stood revealing a dark eyed man with long white hair. Something about this man set Saresh's teeth on edge.

"You have some nerve committing murder in broad daylight, Morcant," Jareth said, his face contorted with rage, power gathering around him in a dark blue light.

_Jareth knows this man?_ Saresh knew the King had secrets, but this was something else entirely. This was deep seated hatred, and by the looks of things, Jareth looked ready to kill.

"I wish I could stay and chat, but, unfortunately I haven't the time," Morcant said, placing a palm against the wall.

Jareth released a burst of blue energy, aiming directly for Morcant, but the man brushed it away as though it were nothing.

"Is that all? You'll have to do better than that if you ever want to defeat me," Morcant said with a mirthless laugh, a portal appearing beneath his hand. "Give my regards to her Majesty. I look forward to carving up that innocent face." In the blink of an eye, he vanished.

"What. The. Hell. Was. That?" Saresh asked through clenched teeth, anger settling over him now that the danger had passed.

"We can discuss it later-"

"No!" Saresh said, grabbing Jareth by the collar and slamming him against the city wall. "You are going to tell me who that man was _right now_!"

"Careful, _Hoggle_ ," Jareth spat, "I tolerate you out of necessity but touch me again and you'll regret it."

Saresh released him, taking a few steps back. Jareth had a point, they needed each other alive, especially if _that man_ was their enemy.

"Care to tell me who that man was, or what the fuck this is?" Saresh asked again, gesturing to the bloody scene before him as he fought to keep his temper in check.

"His name is Mal Morcant. Before you ask, no, I don't know his exact intentions-"

"I think his intentions are pretty fucking clear! He wants Sarah dead-"

"No, he's threatening her to get to me!" Jareth shouted back. He let out a deep breath, running his hand through his hair, his usual confident air gone, "and it's working."

The two men stood in silence for a moment, each regarding the other tensely.

"Why did you keep this a secret? If he's threatening Sarah she needs to know about it."

"I need her to stay focused on finding the Order of Saarah," Jareth said. "You saw how powerful he is. The blast of magic I shot at him should have knocked him unconscious at the very least, and he deflected it as though it were nothing! Without the Order, and the Labyrinth's power stabilized, I don't know if I'll be able to defeat him. Sarah doesn't need the distraction."

"Distraction?!"

"Think about it, Saresh. If she knew a magical homicidal warlord were looking to kill her on top of everthing else..."

He hated to admit it, but, in his own way, Jareth had probably taken the best course of action. _I probably would have done the same thing in his position_ , he realized.

"Fine, we keep Sarah out of this for now," Saresh said, "but I need you to tell me everything you know about this man, and I need your word that you won't cut me out of this."

"You have my word," Jareth said. He crossed to the body of the dead goblin, crouching to inspect the wounds Morcant had inflicted. "There's something else about him that troubles me, Saresh. What did you feel when he opened the portal?"

Saresh paused a moment, thinking back to their confrontation.

"Nothing," he said.

"Exactly. When you or Sarah use magic I can feel you pulling on the Labyrinth, and since I also use the touchstone's power-"

"Sarah and I can feel you, too," Saresh said, following the King's train of thought. "So, if we can't feel him, does that mean he's not using the Labyrinth's magic?"

"I suspect as much," Jareth said, "His magic is different than ours, which means that it may follow different rules. He might never tire during battle, or be nearly impossible to kill. If we want to defeat him, we need to determine his source."

Saresh nodded as Jareth waved a hand over the body of the goblin. He watched as the blood was magically cleaned from the creatures face, his wounds, though still repulsive, somehow less horrifying in their bloodless state.

"I wish I could heal you, but it's the best I can do," Jareth said under his breath so quietly that Saresh was certain the King hadn't intended for him to hear. Finally, he stood, turning to Saresh with an expression of utmost seriousness.

"Now you understand the consequences of failure in this mission. Having this knowledge comes with a price. You and I both know there's a war coming, one in which the Saarah will be instrumental players. They need to be ready for that war when the time comes, and if I am busy training them, our enemy will remain three steps ahead of us. Do you understand what I am asking of you?"

"Yes," Saresh said, "you need a Commander. I accept."

"Good, because I wasn't giving you a choice. You will train them, and when the time is right, we will tell Sarah and the rest together. In the meantime, I swear I will keep looking for answers. I will not rest until I know what he wants, and I know how to stop him. You can hate me all you want, but you _will_ trust me."

"What makes you so certain?"

"Because you above all people know that when it comes to Sarah there is nothing I won't do to protect her. In this, we are the same."

_Somehow, that was exactly what I needed to hear_ , Saresh thought. He had no doubt that Jareth cared for Sarah, or that he would do anything in his power to protect her, not matter the cost. _After all, he did summon me when Sarah was despondent, and it was definitely not because he wanted to_. In some ways, he almost felt their mutual distaste for each other was a good thing. They were allies of necessity, and since neither were concerned with losing a friend, it would be easier to critique each other's strategies in the coming fight. Saresh took the King's outstretched hand, resolving to put his feelings aside for the sake of the greater good.

As he summoned the portal back to the castle, Saresh began mapping out a training plan, grateful that he'd paid attention to his combat training during his life in the Above. He felt the moment the portal was complete.

"You coming?" he asked.

"No," Jareth said behind him, "I have a duty to my fallen subject. I'll rejoin you at the castle once I've seen to his burial."

Saresh nodded his understanding, then stepped through alone, an excuse for his tardiness and the King's absence already forming in his mind.


	18. Chapter 18

"That's good, again," Saresh said as Sarah shattered a fist sized boulder into tiny pebbles. It had been three weeks since Ludo and Saresh had become the first two members of the Order of Saarah, and in that time life at the castle had become a flurry of activity. Saresh, it seemed, had taken it upon himself to become the resident magical coach, putting each new member of the Order through their paces daily. With Sarah, however, he seemed intent upon pushing her to her limits, pitting her against other members of the Order in magical sparring matches. At the moment, she struggled to maintain her connection to the conjured staff in her hand, her weapon of choice, which she used to block the onslaught of rocks that Ludo sent in her direction.

She hissed as a rock grazed her shoulder. She was getting sluggish, the constant energy required to maintain the staff was beginning to slow her reaction speed. She dodged two more rocks, shattering a third with her staff.

"Concentrate, Sarah!" Saresh yelled over the din.

At a signal from him, Ludo began increasing the speed of his assault. Sarah cursed, shattering two fist-sized rocks in one swing of her staff before rolling out of the path of a large incoming boulder. The staff flickered in her hand, its lavender light flickering, becoming momentarily insubstantial. She was at the edge of her limits now. She narrowly dodged a boulder when a second, mercifully smaller rock cut right through her faltering staff and pegged her square in the stomach, knocking the wind from her. She dropped to her knees, gasping, as Saresh called for a stop, rushing to Sarah's side. It was only then that she realized nearly all of the other Order members had been watching her fight. _Great, just what I need, an audience_.

"Are you ok?" Saresh asked, his eyes filled with concern.

She nodded, the air returning to her lungs.

"I pushed you too hard," he said, the self-reprimand evident in his voice.

"Wouldn't it be easier if I practiced with a real staff?" She asked. "I could probably have fought longer if my energy wasn't divided between two different tasks."

"You may not always have a physical weapon readily available. Besides, practicing this way increases both your physical and magical endurance."

"I'm the Queen, Saresh. I highly doubt Jareth would let me run around fighting on the front lines if war broke out."

"You never know when you'll need to fight," he said, his eyes growing distant. "Plus, the Regent is still a member of the Order. 'Seelie Arcanist and Armsmen, the Realm's Avowed Heroes,' remember? To me, it sounds like we have some implied military duties, which means we need to be ready when the time comes."

"Don't you mean _if_ the time comes?"

"Yeah..." he said, trailing off. "Listen, take a break. We can pick back up tomorrow."

 _Tomorrow_ , Sarah groaned internally. Say what you will, Saresh took his new self-appointed role seriously. _Perhaps a little too seriously_ , she thought. She slowly got to her feet, every muscle in her body aching as she did so. The gathered Order members parted respectfully as she passed, her feet carrying her up the sloping lawn towards the castle.

Between daily training sessions with the Order, regular excursions to find the other members of the Order, and her nightly research on the Labyrinth with Jareth, Sarah barely had time to get to know the new Order members. Already they numbered eleven, and, considering the similarities in each of their names, Sarah had more than once called someone by the incorrect iteration of "Sarah".

Cliques had already begun to form as well. _I suppose it makes sense_ , she thought, _similar magic users banding together to help each other_. The result, however, was that once again, she felt a bit like an outsider.

The first and largest group was the Elementals, who were unofficially led by Ludo, the rock caller. Their group consisted of three women, Sara Rosen, a wind caller, Sarai Nzeogwu, fire caller, Sonya Dimitrova, lightning caller, and Shu Rong Li, the water caller and the group's only other man.

The Somatics, the smallest group, consisted of only two members, whose gifts revolved around the mental and physical manipulation of the body. First Sarra Jarvinen, a nurse in the Above, who'd been given the gift of Healing. Second, Sariah DeLeew, a former Violinist, who could read and influence the emotions of others.

The last group was less cohesive than the others. These were the Intangibles, and their powers covered a wide range of skill sets that had little relation to each other. This group, led by Saresh, consisted of three members, all men. First was Sora Takahashi, a gifted linguist who had perfect memory recall. Though Taka, as the group had taken to calling him, did not particularly consider his memory a "power", Jareth insisted that the absolute, exact, and seemingly endless ability to perfectly recall information read only once was indicative of magical interference with his memories. Taka and Jareth had become nearly inseparable since his restoration, the two pouring over texts about the Saarah and the Labyrinth, attempting to discern what could be causing the disruptions in power. The other member of this small band was a former druid known only as Saarn, who could see into the future, though his predictions were rarely straightforward.

Saarn was a bit...off. He rarely spoke, which was just as well, since when he did, it was usually to deliver some ominous warning. Before he'd been restored he had taken the form of the Wiseman Sarah had encountered in the Labyrinth during her run. His hat had been a living manifestation of Saarn's self-doubt, trapping him in his altered form. It had taken several hours for Sarah and Saresh to quiet the hat long enough for Sarah to bring him back. The moment she restored him, he'd grabbed her arm, pulling her roughly towards him.

"Beware the love of your friends," Saarn whispered, "for though they mean well, it will be the very thing to destroy you."

The memory of that moment sent a chill down Sarah's spine, and she'd made it a point to avoid him ever since. Saarn did not seem to mind. In fact, Saarn was probably more disconnected from the other members of the Order of Saarah than she was. He was rarely seen in the company of others, if he left his room at all, and through sheer aloofness, he'd managed to opt out of Saresh's mandatory training sessions.

 _Two more to go_ , she repeated the phrase over and over like a mantra. _Just two more members of the Order to find and then_...

She didn't complete the thought. Honestly, despite her nightly research with Jareth, she was no closer discovering how to restore the order than she was when she first woke up in Jareth's room, which she continued to use as her own. Though she'd asked several times about moving to her own room, Jareth always found a way to doge the subject, until eventually she'd stopped asking. In all that time he'd never made even the slightest pass at her, keeping a professional demeanor around her and sleeping instead on the chaise in the adjacent sitting room. She felt guilty about putting him out like that, but since he seemed insistent upon keeping their current sleeping arrangement, she'd done her best to put it out of her mind.

She had learned much about the Labyrinth, however, and the Fae realm. The Labyrinth is one of the oldest touchstones in the Underground, possibly the site of the Underground's creation. The Fae realm had not always existed, but had been created as a safe haven for the Fae when human technology began to advance rapidly during the early 1500's. It was interesting, to be sure, but the history lesson failed to shed any light on what Sarah and the Order needed to actually _do_ once they were all gathered.

She passed down several long corridors before she realized that she'd subconsciously worked her way to the library. _Creature of habit_ , she thought, smiling to herself. She'd begun a small, side-project

during her few moments of solitude. As Queen, she'd decided to take it upon herself to learn Fae customs. Though Jareth had taken primary charge of running the Kingdom while she and Saresh drilled and searched for the remaining Order members, she knew it was only a matter of time before she would have to take on the additional responsibilities of Queen, and she had no intention of being unprepared.

She ducked down the winding shelves of books, their twisting corridors reminiscent of the labyrinth's twists and turns. Finally, she came upon her favorite spot, a small reading nook lined with cushions nestled into the space between two large bookshelves. A small skylight provided the perfect amount of light for reading during the daytime, though the nook also contained a small lantern where a candle could be placed in the evenings. She found the large volume she'd been reading exactly where she'd left it, her place marked with a small scrap of fabric she'd torn from the lining of one of her shirts. Her fingers skimmed the ornate leather cover, tracing the embossed letters across the front which read, _Protocol and Practices of the Faery Court_. Settling into her nook, she opened to the book and began to read.

_Chapter 21_

_Faery Nuptuals_

_Marriage in the Fae lands, though not unheard of, is uncommon among the Fae, particularly insomuch as it pertains to the noble houses. Perhaps this trend of unwed nobility is due to the magical contract entered by such an agreement. Once a Fae enters into marriage with another, be it mortal or Fae, the two are bound for life, their souls forever connected. As a result, should one partner become injured, the other often falls ill. By the same construct, if one partner becomes deceased, so the other partner shall also pass. Since Fae lives are quite long, such a bond was deemed necessary, not only to deter unfaithfulness but also to magically link both parties._

_The inherent problem this link creates for the Ruling Class, however, is that whole houses could easily perish during times of war, thus the decline in married pairs among the nobility. There are many exceptions to this trend, however, in particular the Faery Rolithan, King of the Goblin City, and his beloved wife Queen Ilse, Regent of the Labyrinth, who were bonded shortly after their betrothal, and remained so for nearly two hundred years. Unfortunately, when Queen Ilse died in childbirth, King Rolithan also perished, leaving behind their infant son, Prince Jareth._

_Despite this setback, some rare few find the advantages of soul-bonding too tempting to ignore. The bond created by a Fae nuptial often strengthens the magic of both parties. Some have reported bonded Fae to have a telepathic link to each other, a distinct advantage, particularly during times of war or civil unrest. Finally, there is staggering evidence to support that bonded Fae pairs benefit from increased stamina, physical endurance, and even extended lifespans. Taking these advantages into account, one can easily see the temptation some Fae experience in regard to the subject of engaging in marriage._

"Found something interesting I take it?"

The sudden intrusion made Sarah jump, her book falling to the floor. Looking up, she discovered the intruder was none other than Jareth. _Impeccable timing, as always_ , she thought. He had an uncanny ability to find her when she was alone, and she strongly suspected that these "accidental" meetings were more calculated than he made them out to be. She reached down for her book, which lay

"I-um-I've been doing some research of my own," she said quickly, reaching for her book. She was too slow, however, as Jareth reached it first, flipping the book over in his hands to

"Protocol and Practices of the Faery Court?" he asked, a half-smile playing across his lips. "A fairly dry read if I recall correctly."

"It's a pretty interesting read for a mortal."

"You're not a mortal, Sarah."

Sarah sighed. _This again_. Taka's theory about the genetic makeup of the Order members, that they were part-fae, part-mortal, had quickly caught on with the rest. Sarah, however, remained skeptical. Unlike many of the others like Ludo and Saarn, she'd never exhibited any particular magical inclinations in the Above. She'd been...normal. Sure, she'd wished to be extraordinary, but didn't everyone? Until there was definitive proof, she preferred to stick to the things she knew to be true.

"Regardless," Sarah said, turning the subject back to her book, "I can't ignore my role here forever, Jareth."

"I told you before, your only concern right now is the Order."

"Did you come here just to pester me?" She asked playfully, rolling her eyes.

"No, as a matter of fact," Jareth said, retuning her playful banter, "I came here to make sure you don't die of hunger."

He handed her the small cloth sack hanging from his arm which she'd failed to notice, her stomach growling loudly as she examined its contents. Wrapped in paper were two delicious looking sandwiches on warm pieces of baguette, two apples, and a small handful of roasted pine nuts. She dug in without hesitation, offering a quick word of thanks between mouthfuls. Jareth sat beside her in the nook, unwrapping the other sandwich.

They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying their meal, and Sarah found that she was grateful for his company. Perhaps it was their nightly research sessions, or that she still hadn't moved out of his bedroom, but she'd grown far more comfortable around Jareth. Though she was still attracted to him, he had a way of putting her at ease, of knowing exactly when to talk and when to simply share a comfortable silence. Around him, she didn't have to be the Queen, she could just be Sarah.

"I heard you had a rough training session this morning," he said as he finished his sandwich, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," she said, "but I'll live."

"You're getting stronger, you know. Saresh has kept me informed of your progress. I have to admit he's turned out to be an effective leader among the Saarah."

"Since when do you approve of Saresh?"

"We've-ah-come to an understanding."

Sarah was taken aback by Jareth's comments. Sure, he and Saresh hadn't fought in weeks, but she hardly expected to hear Jareth compliment him. Come to think of it, the two had behaved remarkably differently since the day they restored Ludo. She couldn't prove it, but she suspected something had transpired between the two of them when the portal had closed without them. They weren't exactly friends, per say, but they had stopped antagonizing each other, much to Sarah's relief.

"Thanks again for lunch," Sarah said, changing the subject.

"You're welcome," he said. "Although, I must admit I did have an ulterior motive for seeking you out."

"Don't you always?" she asked, smiling.

"Indeed. I'm afraid it's a habit I find hard to break, particularly because it continues to be effective."

"So, what really brought you here?" She asked, gathering the remains of their lunch and placing it back into the cloth sack.

"Are you up for a little more magic today?" he asked, standing.

Sarah nodded, the meal having restored her energy tremendously. Jareth took her hands in his, gently pulling her from her seat to stand before him.

"Then how would you like to learn how to fly?"

* * *

Sarah soared high above the castle towers, her wings catching the wind perfectly, allowing her to glide effortlessly. To her left, Jareth let out a joyful screech, his white owl form a bright, fluffy contrast to her sleek, russet hawk form. It had taken nearly two hours to figure out the transformation, and after a brief moment of pain, she found herself transformed into a red-tailed hawk.

She'd been an awkward flier at first, and still had difficulty landing, but Jareth had done his best to ensure she didn't get hurt. Once she'd mastered the basics they'd chased each other around the castle grounds in a high speed game of tag, darting between trees and stone towers. Now they glided, wings outstretched, reveling in the sensation of the wind as the sun set over the Labyrinth.

In bird form it was difficult to focus on her worries. All her fears and doubts were far below her. There was only sky, wind, and sun. She felt freer than she ever had before. She was gloriously alive.

When the light began to fade the two flew into the open window of Jareth's bedroom, shifting back to human form as their feet touched the ground. Sarah giggled uncontrollably, the exhilaration and adrenaline rush of flight still coursing through her veins.

"That was absolutely incredible!" she exclaimed. Every ounce of her felt energized. She felt like running, or dancing, but instead she contented herself with spinning on her heel, arms outstretched

"Careful," Jareth said, grinning, "the transformation back can leave you a bit-"

He was cut off as Sarah lost her balance and stumbled right into him. He stepped backward in an effort to steady himself and catch her, but his foot caught on his cloak and the two fell to the floor, with Sarah landing directly on top of Jareth.

"Unsteady," he finished.

"Are you ok?" Sarah asked, laughing.

For a moment Jareth looked as though he were about to respond, then something in his face shifted. His eyes looked deep into hers in that penetrating way of his, searching for an answer to an unspoken question. His hand gently caressed her cheek for a moment, then, without warning, he kissed her.

It was a gentle, patient kiss, that ended as abruptly as it began. When he pulled away, his eyes still looked at her in that searching way. Sarah's heart raced. She pushed off him, sitting on the floor beside him. Immediately she was hit with a flood of emotions. On the one hand, she _was_ attracted to him, but he'd kept his distance from her, romantically speaking.

"You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that," Jareth said.

"Jareth-I-that is, I-"

"Don't try to tell me you don't have feelings for me, Sarah. I've lived long enough to know better."

"I-it's not that. I just..." she struggled to put her chaotic thoughts into words, "I never thought you...felt that way about me. I mean, I did, at first but then you've been so, well, arms-length lately. I thought maybe I was imagining things."

Jareth laughed, his shoulders shaking as he fought to catch his breath.

"Sarah, I've been keeping a professional distance around you because I like you. Why do you think I haven't let you move out of my room?"

 _How could I have missed that_ , she thought, chastising herself for not realizing that his constant excuses were merely a delay tactic. It had worked, too. In the weeks they'd spent as roommates, she'd gotten used to his constant presence.

The King propped himself up on one arm, leaning in a bit closer to her.

"I'm selfish, Sarah. I didn't want to push you into something you don't want, but make no mistake, I do want you. I never had any intention of letting you move out. I've been drawn to you since the moment I met you, and I know you feel the same."

It was true, she had felt something for him, a kind of magnetism that drew them together. However, there was something that troubled her about those feelings.

"Jareth, you don't worry that what we feel is the result of magic, do you? I mean, do you ever wonder if you would feel this way if I weren't-"

"If you weren't the Regent?" he asked, finishing her thought. "It's possible that our attraction is strengthened by that, but even so, my feelings for you are my own. We aren't magically linked the way you are to the other members of the Order, nor are we bonded to each other," his mischievous smile returned to his face as he added, "not yet, anyways".

"I-wait-Jareth, are you asking me to-"

"Yes." He said simply.

Sarah was floored. He was asking her to marry him. _No, not just marry, soul-bond with him_. He wanted her to tie her fate to his, and he'd asked it as casually as he would ask her to pass the salt at dinner.

Seeming to sense her distress, Jareth quickly stood up, helping her to her feet as well.

"I'm not asking you for an answer right now, I just want you to think about it. Yes, there are risks, but there are also distinct advantages that I believe are well worth considering."

"You can't possibly be serious! You better than anyone should know what that means, the risks involved! Your parents-"

"Cared about each other enough to decide not to live without the other. Yes, Sarah, I do know the risks involved, but I also know that in three hundred and thirty-two years of living there has never been another person I've cared about the way I care for you."

"Three hundred and thirty-two?!" Sarah asked, shocked. She knew he was older, but hearing the number aloud was another thing entirely.

"I know, I'm still a fairly young King-"

"I'm eighteen!"

"So? My parents had a near five-hundred-year age difference between them."

Sarah had no idea what to say. _Protocol and Practices of the Faery Court_ had in no way prepared her for this. _Nothing could have prepared me for this_ , she thought. Jareth pulled her into a hug, which she found oddly comforting given the circumstances. Though her thoughts still raced rapid-fire through her mind, she allowed herself to be held for a moment.

"Promise me you'll think about it."

Sarah took a deep breath, then broke his embrace and looked Jareth deep in his eyes.

"I promise," she said.

Jareth smiled warmly, then turned to leave for the night.

"Wait-" she said, "If-if I say no-"

Jareth turned to look at her, not hesitating in his reply.

"Then I'll drop the subject entirely, I promise."

And with that, he left her alone with her thoughts.

 


End file.
